October 24, 2024
By Samuel Ogunsona
Tragedy struck in Rivers State on Thursday when an helicopter crashed, claiming the lives of three people.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, confirmed the incident involving a Sikorsky SK76 operated by East Wind Aviation.
The helicopter was on its way from Port Harcourt Military Base to the NUIMANTAN oil rig when it crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near Bonny Finima at 11:22 am. There were eight people on board.
“The aircraft, with eight persons on board, ditched into the waters near Bonny Finima in the Atlantic Ocean. The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau has been notified, and emergency response teams were immediately activated. Search and rescue operations are ongoing with the support of the Nigerian Search and Rescue Unit, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the National Safety Investigation Bureau, and other relevant agencies. Neighbouring aerodromes have also been notified for assistance.
“While no Emergency Locator Transmitter signal was received, manual efforts to determine the accident location are underway. All available resources, including the military and low-flying aircraft, have been deployed to assist in locating and rescuing any survivors. So far, three bodies have been recovered,” Keyamo said.
Keyamo expressed deep concern over the crash and assured the public that investigations will be conducted to determine the cause.
