by Ezekiel Waheo-
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has confirmed a helicopter crash involving a Sikorsky SK76 operated by East Wind Aviation.
The incident occurred at approximately 11:22 a.m. on Thursday along the waterways near Bonny Finima in the Atlantic Ocean. The aircraft was en route from the Port Harcourt Military Base to the NUIMANTAN oil rig and had eight people on board.
Keyamo expressed deep concern over the accident in a statement shared via his X account, saying, “The aircraft, with eight persons on board, ditched into the waters near Bonny Finima in the Atlantic Ocean.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau has been notified, and emergency response teams were immediately activated. Search and rescue operations are ongoing with the support of the Nigerian Search and Rescue Unit, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the National Safety Investigation Bureau, and other relevant agencies.”
He added that neighboring aerodromes have been notified to assist in the search effort. “While no Emergency Locator Transmitter signal was received, manual efforts to determine the accident location are underway. All available resources, including the military and low-flying aircraft, have been deployed to assist in locating and rescuing any survivors. So far, three bodies have been recovered.”
Keyamo extended his condolences to the families of those affected, stating, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those on board, and we are committed to providing the necessary support during this difficult time.”
Search and rescue operations continue as efforts are being made to locate any remaining survivors.
