Nigeria crashed aircraft was on rescue mission for kidnapped schoolchildren

Nigeria's airforce says its plane which crashed on Sunday shortly after take-off from Abuja airport -- killing everyone onboard -- was on a mission to rescue the Nigerian schoolchildren kidnapped last week.

A spokesman told CNN the aircraft was on surveillance operations in Niger State as part of efforts to rescue at least 42 schoolchildren and staff members taken by gunmen from the Government Science School Kagara last Wednesday. One student died during the attack. Air Vice-Marshal Ibikunle Daramola told CNN on Monday afternoon that the air force had donated the military plane to a joint task force coordinating the rescue operation in Kagara.