Three Oil Workers Killed In Rivers State Helicopter Crash Recovered, 5 Missing
As a Sikorsky SK76 with registration 5NBQG, operated by East Wind Aviation, crashed into the waters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday morning, three bodies were found while search efforts continued.
In a statement released by the ministry’s spokesperson, Odutayo Oluseyi, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, made this clear.
The minister says, “The distressing report of a helicopter accident that occurred Thursday, October 24, 2024, at approximately 11:22 am along the waterways in Port Harcourt has been received by the Federal Ministry of Aviation.” East Wind Aviation was flying the Sikorsky SK76, which was registered 5NBQG, from Port Harcourt Military Base (DNPM) to the NUIMANTAN oil rig.
“The aircraft with eight people on board landed in the Atlantic Ocean near Bonny Finima.” The Nigerian Search and Rescue Unit, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the National Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), and other relevant agencies have been notified, emergency response teams have been immediately activated, and search and rescue operations are continuing. Additionally, neighboring aerodromes have been notified for assistance.
“All available resources, including the military and low-flying aircraft, have been deployed to assist in locating and rescuing any survivor(s), even though no Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) signal was received. Manual efforts to plot the location of the accident are currently underway. Three bodies have been found so far.