Friday, November 1, 2024 - The Federal government has announced that it has found the wreckage of the helicopter that crashed last Thursday into the Atlantic Ocean after leaving Port Harcourt.
The
Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, announced this in a post on X on Thursday
evening October 31.
“The
latest update on the helicopter crash is that the wreckage of the helicopter
has been found at the bed of the ocean'' Keyamo wrote.
Keyamo
shared a statement signed by Bimbo Oladeji, a spokesperson of the Nigerian
Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), announcing the recovery of the wreckage.
She said
the wreckage was located Wednesday night, and efforts are on to recover it.
Oladeji in her statement said the helicopter, operated by Eastwind Aviation and
carrying eight individuals, went down off the coast of Bonny Finima in the
Atlantic Ocean on October 24, 2024,
“The
wreckage was identified during last night’s recovery dives, approximately 0.775
nautical miles from the FPSO Adoon. It was located at a depth of 42 meters,
with coordinates registered at Latitude 04° 13.634′ N and Longitude 008°
19.442′ E. Preparations are currently underway for the helicopter’s recovery to
support further investigation,” she wrote.
The
bodies of five out of the eight persons onboard the ill-fated helicopter have
been found. The statement did not, however, indicate if the bodies of the
remaining three victims had been found.
Read the
full statement below
‘’SEARCH
AND RECOVERY TEAM LOCATES WRECKAGE OF DITCHED SIKORSKY SK76 HELICOPTER
The
Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) announces that the allied team and
partners leading the charge for the search and recovery efforts of the ditched
Sikorsky SK76 helicopter, registration 5N BQG, have located its wreckage. The
helicopter, operated by Eastwind Aviation and carrying eight individuals, went
down off the coast of Bonny Finima in the Atlantic Ocean on October 24, 2024.
The
wreckage was identified during last night’s recovery dives, approximately 0.775
nautical miles from the FPSO Adoon. It was located at a depth of 42 meters,
with coordinates registered at Latitude 04° 13.634′ N and Longitude 008°
19.442′ E. Preparations are currently underway for the helicopter’s recovery to
support further investigation.
Captain
Alex Badeh Jr., Director General of NSIB, commended the allied team and
partners leading the search and recovery efforts: “Locating the wreckage is a
critical milestone in our efforts to understand the circumstances surrounding
this tragic accident. The dedication and cooperation shown by all involved
parties have been exceptional, and we are determined to conduct a thorough
investigation to provide clarity and closure to the families of those
affected.”
NSIB
remains committed to working closely with national and international partners
to carry out the recovery and investigative process, in line with our mandate
to enhance transportation safety in Nigeria.
Mrs
Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji
Director,
Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau''
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