- The spokesperson of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Odutayo Oluseyi, also confirmed the mishap in statement
All the eight occupants of the Eastwind Aviation helicopter that crashed into Bonny River, in Rivers State, yesterday, have died.
The helicopter, carrying eight persons, six passengers and two crew members, crashed from Port Harcourt Military base to FPSO NUIM ANTAN (offshore Calabar).
Rivers State Police Command has now disclosed that there is every likelihood that all eight persons aboard the helicopter that plunged into the Atlantic Ocean have perished.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, 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 Rivers State Police Command extends its deepest condolences to the families of the tragic times”
The spokesperson of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Odutayo Oluseyi, also confirmed the mishap in statement.
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.
Within Nigeria also reported that the oil workers were contract staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL.