The Nigerian Air Force has confirmed that one of its aircraft crashed in Niger State on Monday.

The Air Force said the aircraft was on a casualty evacuation mission when the crash happened.

A statement on Monday by the NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet said the aircraft departed Zungeru Primary School en route to Kaduna but was later discovered to have crashed in a village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger.

It partly read, “A Nigerian Air Force MI-171 Helicopter on a casualty evacuation mission crashed today, August 14, 2023, at about 1.1.00 pm Chukuba Village in Niger State.

“The aircraft had departed Zungeru Primary School en route Kaduna but was later discovered to have crashed near Chukuba Village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.”

Gabkwet said efforts are ongoing to rescue the pilots and passengers on board.

“Efforts are currently ongoing to rescue the crew and passengers on board the helicopter, while preliminary investigations have commenced to determine the probable cause of the crash,” the statement added. 

Access24 reports that on February 22, 2021, seven NAF personnel on their way from Abuja to Minna, the Niger State capital, died when their plane crashed after takeoff from the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.