Police Unveil Horrible Details Of port Harcourt Helicopter Fatal Crash
The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the tragic loss of eight lives following the crash of an Eastwind Aviation helicopter into the Bonny River in Rivers State.
The helicopter was transporting six passengers and two crew members from the Port Harcourt Military Base to the FPSO Nuim Antan offshore platform near Calabar when it went down.
The police stated that all individuals aboard the aircraft are presumed dead. Police Public Relations Officer Grace Iringe-Koko shared that the incident was reported to authorities by Ifeanyi Udogwu, an employee of Antan Producing Limited.
The helicopter, identified by the call sign 5N-BQG (S76C+), took off from the NAF Base in Port Harcourt around 11 a.m. before crashing near the Mimbo platform and FPSO of Antan Producing Limited. The Rivers State Police Marine Division is collaborating with other agencies to recover the wreckage and locate the occupants.
Iringe-Koko expressed the Command’s heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families. The Ministry of Aviation also confirmed the incident, with spokesperson Odutayo Oluseyi stating that three bodies have been recovered so far. Search and rescue operations continue to find the remaining passengers, who were reportedly contract staff for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL).
The ministry noted that the helicopter, a Sikorsky SK76 with registration 5N-BQG, was en route to the Nuimantan Oil Rig when it ditched near Bonny Finima in the Atlantic Ocean. No Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) signal was received, prompting manual tracking efforts.
Agencies including the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigerian Search and Rescue Unit have mobilized resources, with military support and low-flying aircraft aiding
The National Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has launched an investigation into the crash. In a statement, Mrs. Bimbo Oladeji, Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance at NSIB, explained that the helicopter was operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) and failed to transmit an ELT signal, leading to the manual location search.
Captain Alex Badeh Jr., Director General of NSIB, extended condolences to the affected families and emphasized the bureau’s commitment to determining the cause of the accident, urging the public to refrain from speculation during the investigation.
