The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) reports that its team has located the wreckage of the helicopter that crashed in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
This information comes from Bimbo Oladeji, NSIB’s Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance.
“The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) announces that the allied team and partners leading the search and recovery efforts for the downed Sikorsky SK76 helicopter, registration 5N BQG, have located its wreckage,” Oladeji said in a statement late Thursday.
The helicopter, operated by Eastwind Aviation, had eight individuals on board and ditched in the Atlantic Ocean near Bonny Finima on 24 October 2024.
NSIB confirmed that “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 metres, with coordinates registered at Latitude 04° 13.634′ N and Longitude 008° 19.442′ E. Recovery efforts for the helicopter’s wreckage are currently underway. The tail boom of the helicopter has already been successfully retrieved and lifted from the water today.”
In response, NSIB’s Director General Alex Badeh Jr commended the allied team and partners for their recovery efforts.
“Locating the wreckage is a crucial milestone in our efforts to understand the circumstances surrounding this tragic accident,” he stated. “The dedication and cooperation shown by all involved parties have been exceptional, and we are committed to conducting a thorough investigation to provide clarity and closure to the families of those affected.”
According to the agency, further efforts to recover the wreckage are ongoing.
This development comes days after the helicopter, operated by East Wind Aviation and engaged by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), crashed along the waterways in the capital of Rivers State.
The aircraft had taken off from the Port Harcourt Military Base (DNPM), bound for the FPSO – NUIMS ANTAN oil rig.
Eight persons were confirmed on board; however, only four bodies have been recovered so far.