No fewer than three persons have been confirmed dead while five others were reported missing after a private helicopter crashed into a lagoon in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Of the three deceased, an impeccable source disclosed to The Guild that at least one of the deceased was a staff of the staff of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
The chopper, identified as a Sikorsky SK76 with registration number 5NBQG, crashed at 11:22 a.m. along Port Harcourt’s waterways, shortly after it took off from Port Harcourt Military Base, en route the FPSO-NUIMS ANTAN oil rig.
As gathered, the ill-fated Helicopter operated by East Winds Aviation was boarded by eight passengers including two crew members and six staff of NNPCL before the tragic incident.
Confirming the death toll, NNPC spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, disclosed that three bodies have been recovered from the crash scene.
Soneye, who didn’t disclosed the identity of the deceased, stated that the chopper was engaged by the oil firm and took off from Port Harcourt NAF Base en route the FPSO – NUIMS ANTAN.
While adding that the ill-fated helicopter was operated by East Winds Aviation, a contractor engaged by NNPC, he assured Nigerians that the firm would collaborate with the incident response teams, providing necessary resources and expertise to aid in the search and rescue operations.
“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,” he said.
Earlier, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Odutayo Oluseyi, explained that before the crash, the helicopter ditched into the waters near Bonny Finima in the Atlantic Ocean.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Aviation has alerted the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) and nearby airports about the incident.
Search and rescue efforts are currently underway, with support from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and other key agencies.
