From Sola Ojo, Abuja
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) announced on Wednesday that it has launched an investigation into the crash of an S76C helicopter, registered as 5N-BQG, operated by Eastwind Aviation. The accident occurred on October 24, 2024, near Bonny Finima.
The helicopter, carrying eight individuals—six passengers and two crew members—crashed approximately 1.4 km from its intended destination, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)’s Floating Production Storage Offloading (FPSO) vessel, *Nuim Antan*.
At a joint press briefing on Wednesday, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace, Mr Festus Keyamo, disclosed that the black box (flight recorder) was recovered on November 10 and moved to Abuja on November 11.
The Minister confirmed that of the eight persons on board, three remain missing, while five have been located, with appropriate actions taken.
Speaking alongside the Director General and CEO of NSIB, Alex Badeh Jr; the Director General of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA); and a representative of the acting DG of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Chris Najomo, the Minister reiterated his commitment to enhancing aviation safety.
The DG/CEO of NSIB, Alex Badeh Jr, assured Nigerians that the Bureau is continuing with the long-term search and recovery phase. He emphasised that the federal government would not abandon efforts to locate the remaining missing persons.
He added that neighbouring countries have been notified, especially as one of the bodies was found in Cameroon. He also noted that the Bureau is providing emotional and psychological support to the families of the victims.
The representative of the DG NCAA assured that appropriate sanctions would be applied if investigations reveal that the crash resulted from wilful violations of safety regulations.