A helicopter in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State, which was engaged by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), met with disaster on Thursday.
In a statement, NNPCL spokesman Olufemi Soneye confirmed that the helicopter, operated by East Winds Aviation, had been engaged by NNPC Limited.
The helicopter, a Sikorsky SK76 with registration 5NBQG and operated by East Winds Aviation, crashed at 11:22 a.m. along the waterways in Port Harcourt. It had taken off from the Port Harcourt Military Base (DNPM) en route to the FPSO – NUIMS ANTAN oil rig.
A total of eight persons were confirmed to be on board, according to a spokesperson for the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Odutayo Oluseyi.
The aircraft ditched into the waters near Bonny Finima in the Atlantic Ocean, with authorities stating that rescue operations have been initiated.
“We will continue to monitor the situation and provide regular updates as events unfold. Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, and their families during this extremely difficult time.
“We assure everyone that we will do everything possible to support the ongoing search and rescue operation,” said the NNPCL.