Three persons have been confirmed de.ad 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.
The ill-fated helicopter was engaged by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) onboard.
NNPCL spokesman Olufemi Soneye confirmed this in a statement.
“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 you that we will continue doing everything possible to support the ongoing search and rescue operation,” Soneye said.
