October 25, 2024
Eastwind Aviation operated helicopter carrying eight persons, six passengers and two crew members, on Thursday ditched into the ocean in Bonny near Antan Producing Limited’s Mimbo platform and FPSO, all eight persons onboard are feared dead.
The helicopter, a Sikorsky SK76 with registration 5NBQG took off from Port Harcourt Military Base, DNPM, to FPSO NUIM ANTAN (offshore Calabar)Oil Rig.
The Rivers state Police command Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, in a statement in Port Harcourt, yesterday, said: “The Rivers State Police Command regrets to inform the public of a tragic incident that occurred today, at 11am.
“Mr. Ifeanyi Udogwu, a staff of Antan Producing Limited, Port Harcourt, reported to the Command that a helicopter with the call sign number 5N-BQG (S76C+), belonging to East Wing Aviation, departed from the NAF Base in Port Harcourt. The flight was bound for Nuim Antan OML123 fields, carrying two crew members and six passengers.
“Unfortunately, about 11a.m., the helicopter reportedly ditched into the ocean near Antan Producing Limited’s Mimbo platform and FPSO. All eight persons onboard are feared dead.
“The Marine Division of the Rivers State Police Command is cooperating with other agencies to recover the aircraft and the occupants.
The incident was also confirmed in a statement by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Odutayo Oluseyi.
It was gathered that the oil workers were contract staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL.
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The statement said that three bodies have been recovered so far from the crashed helicopter, while search and rescue operations were ongoing to locate the remaining passengers.
Meanwhile, another two bodies have been recovered as at Friday bringing to five the total of dead bodies so far recovered.
“Search and rescue operations are ongoing with the support of the Nigerian Search and Rescue Unit, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, the National Safety Investigation Bureau, NSIB, and other relevant agencies. Neighbouring aerodromes have also been notified for support.
“While no Emergency Locator Transmitter, ELT, signal was received, manual efforts to plot the location of the accident are underway, while NSIB, has commenced investigation into the accident.
