Nigeria's aviation minister says 32 people were on board a military aircraft that crashed in Ondo state, according to Premium Times Nigeria. The minister's statement, reported on Monday, gives the first official count of those aboard the downed aircraft.
The Nigerian Air Force has confirmed that the aircraft belonged to it and has launched a rescue operation at the crash site, Vanguard News reports. The air force's confirmation followed initial reports of the incident in the southern Nigerian state.
Coverage of the crash began with early, less detailed accounts. Channels Television reported that a helicopter had crashed in Ondo, while Punch Newspapers said many people were feared killed in the same incident. The Cable reported that passengers were feared dead after what it described as a suspected military aircraft crash in the state.
Those early reports varied in how they described the aircraft and did not immediately agree on casualty figures. The aviation minister's figure of 32 people on board is the most specific official detail released so far, as reported by Premium Times Nigeria.
Details of the crash, including the exact location within Ondo state, the flight's origin and destination, and the condition of those on board, have not been fully established in the reporting available.
What to watch next: official updates from the Nigerian Air Force and the aviation ministry on the rescue operation and the number of survivors.
