Three persons have been confirmed dead in a helicopter crash that occurred in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Thursday.
The accident occurred at 11:22 a.m. along the waterways in Port Harcourt when the helicopter, a Sikorsky SK76 with registration 5NBQG and operated by East Wind Aviation, took off from Port Harcourt Military Base (DNPM) to the FPSO – NUIMS ANTAN oil rig.
A total of eight persons were confirmed on board, said 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, the authorities said in a statement, adding that rescue efforts have been activated.
The ministry said the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) and neighbouring aerodromes have been notified, adding that search and rescue operations have commenced with the support of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and other relevant agencies.
“While no Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) signal was received, manual efforts to plot the location of the accident are underway, and all available resources, including the military and low-flying aircraft, have been deployed to assist in locating and rescuing any survivor(s). So far, three bodies have been recovered,” the authorities said while offering words of comfort to the families of those onboard.
NNPCL personnel onboard
The ill-fated helicopter had personnel of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) onboard.
NNPCL spokesman Olufemi Soneye, in a statement, confirmed that the helicopter operated by East Winds Aviation was engaged by NNPC Limited.
“We shall continue to monitor the situation and provide regular updates as the events unfold. Our prayers are with the passengers, crew and their respective families at this very difficult time.
“We assure that we will continue doing everything possible to support the ongoing search and rescue operation,” Soneye said.
The spate of helicopter crashes with casualties has been a source of worry to aviation and safety experts in the last few years, with stakeholders calling on the civil and military aviation authorities to uphold standard operating procedures and tighten regulations.
In December 2023, a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) helicopter crashed also in Port Harcourt. The helicopter with the number NAF MI-35P crashed shortly after it took off for an operation against economic saboteurs in the oil-rich South-South state. Fortunately, the entire crew of five survived the crash with very minor injuries.
Similarly, in August 2023, a small aircraft crashed in the Oba Akran area of Ikeja, the Lagos State capital. The aircraft burst into flames when the incident happened but the four persons onboard narrowly survived the ill-fated flight,
Back in August 2020, a helicopter operated by Quorum Aviation crashed in the Opebi area of Lagos, leaving three of those onboard dead.
In 2021, at least 20 military officers lost their lives within three months in three crashes involving NAF jets.
Then Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 others were onboard a NAF Beechcraft 350 aircraft that crashed on May 21, 2021, near the Kaduna International Airport. All the 11 military personnel died in the tragic accident.
