The Federal Government has confirmed that 32 people were aboard the military aircraft that crashed in Igbokoda, Ondo State, on Monday.

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed this in a statement following a report from air traffic controllers that the aircraft, with tail number NGR 931, had disappeared from radar while travelling from Benin to Lagos.

Keyamo said the aircraft disappeared from radar at about 9:13 a.m. after attempts to establish radio contact with the crew were unsuccessful.

He said the aircraft was later confirmed to have crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, where the wreckage was located and search-and-rescue operations launched.

“Preliminary information suggests that there were 25 passengers and seven crew members on board,” Keyamo said.

The minister noted that the regulation and control of military aircraft fall outside the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Aviation and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.

However, he said he had spoken with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, and pledged the ministry’s cooperation and assistance with the ongoing rescue operation.

Keyamo said further information on the incident would be released as it becomes available.