Follow Us on Google
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has explained the conflicting reports over the number of people killed in Monday’s ATR-42 aircraft crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State, attributing the discrepancy to differences in civil and military aviation terminology.
The Air Force said 25 people were on board the aircraft, comprising five active crew members and 20 passengers, contrary to the earlier figure of 32 announced by government officials.
Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, said the confusion centred on the interpretation of the phrase “souls on board” used in aviation communication.
According to him, civil aviation air traffic controllers may report “25 souls on board, inclusive of seven crew”, while in military usage, the seven crew members are already included in the total figure of 25.
“For air traffic controllers, when they normally communicate ‘25 souls on board inclusive of seven crew’, it is minus the seven.
“However, for the military, the seven is in the 25. It doesn’t mean you add additional souls,” Ejodame explained.
He said seven people on the aircraft had crew status, but only five were actively operating the aircraft at the time of the crash.
“In this case, there were 25 souls on board: five were active crew, then two were passengers, but they are crew. So, there are seven crew on board reported, but only five were flying at that time.
“The other two were on board as passengers,” he said.
The clarification followed an earlier statement by Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister, Festus Keyamo, which put the number of people aboard the aircraft at 32 — 25 passengers and seven crew members. The NAF subsequently released the names of 25 people aboard the aircraft and confirmed that there were no survivors.
The aircraft, NAF 931, crashed in the Igbokoda area of Ilaje Local Government Area while on a routine mission from Benin City, Edo State, to Lagos.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has ordered a comprehensive investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the crash. The NAF has also urged the public to avoid speculation and the circulation of unverified information while the investigation continues.
The conflicting figures have also raised questions about the accuracy of records relating to people aboard the aircraft. Former SSS director Mike Ejiofor said proper reliance on the aircraft’s manifest should have made it easier to establish the exact number and identities of those on board.
