Nigerian Air Force ATR 42-500MP plane crash

The ATR 42-500MP operated by the Nigerian Air Force had taken off from Benin City, Nigeria, on a routine military flight to Lagos, Nigeria. There were 25 passengers and 7 crew members on board. The aircraft crashed in a swampy area near the Igbokoda Naval Base in Ondo State. All 32 occupants were killed.

The wreckage was found in a difficult-to-access area near a waterway. Witnesses reported hearing a loud noise at the time of the accident, and debris was found scattered across the swampy area and in the water.

The ATR 42-500MP

The ATR 42-500MP is a maritime patrol and surveillance variant derived from the ATR 42-500 twin-engine turboprop. It is equipped with mission systems that may include surface-search radar, electro-optical sensors, communications equipment and dedicated operator workstations. The aircraft is used for maritime surveillance, border and fisheries control, search and rescue missions, anti-smuggling operations and environmental monitoring. Its long endurance, relatively low operating costs and ability to operate from regional airports make it particularly well suited to extended patrol missions over coastal and offshore areas.

The aircraft involved in the accident was registered NAF931. Built in 2008, it was delivered to the Nigerian Air Force in 2010.