Police Provide Update On Helicopter Crash In Port Harcourt

Police Provide Update On Helicopter Crash In Port HarcourtThe Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the tragic loss of eight lives in the crash of an Eastwind Aviation helicopter into the Bonny River. The helicopter, which was carrying six passengers and two crew members, was en route from the Port Harcourt Military Base to the FPSO Nuim Antan offshore platform near Calabar when it went down.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Authorities indicated that all individuals on board are feared dead. Police Public Relations Officer Grace Iringe-Koko provided details, stating that Ifeanyi Udogwu, an employee of Antan Producing Limited, reported the incident to the police.

The helicopter, identified by its call sign 5N-BQG (S76C+), departed 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 missing occupants. Iringe-Koko expressed the Command’s heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims.

The Ministry of Aviation has also confirmed the incident, with spokesperson Odutayo Oluseyi noting that three bodies have been recovered so far. Search and rescue operations are ongoing to find the remaining passengers, who were reported to be contract workers for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL).

The helicopter, a Sikorsky SK76 registered as 5N-BQG, was heading 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 for the operation, with military assistance and low-flying aircraft aiding the search.

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 did not transmit an ELT signal, necessitating a manual search. NSIB Director General Captain Alex Badeh Jr. extended condolences to the affected families and emphasized the agency’s commitment to determining the cause of the accident, urging the public to refrain from speculation during the investigation.

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