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A helicopter crash in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has claimed the lives of three people.
The incident, which occurred on Thursday at about 11:22 a.m., involved
Sikorsky SK76 helicopter operated by East Wind Aviation.
The helicopter was flying from Port Harcourt Military Base to the Nuimantan oil rig when it crashed into the waterways.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Odutayo Oluseyi, confirmed that a total of eight persons were on board.
The authorities said in a statement that the aircraft ditched into the waters near Bonny Finima in the Atlantic Ocean and that they have activated rescue efforts.
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 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 also crashed 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 people onboard narrowly survived the ill-fated flight.
In August 2020, Quorum Aviation’s helicopter crashed in the Opebi area of Lagos, killing three of the occupants.
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 11 military personnel died in the tragic accident.
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