The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau has released a preliminary report on the fatal accident of a Sikorsky S76C helicopter in the Atlantic Ocean near Finima, Bonny, Rivers State, killing all eight people aboard.
The helicopter, with registration number 5N-BQG, was operated by East Wind Aviation Logistics Services Limited.
This report forms part of the NSIB’s recently released findings on six other aviation incidents.
Releasing the report, NSIB Director General, Captain Alex Badeh, highlighted a critical witness account from a worker at Nuim Antan, who saw the helicopter struggling before it crashed.
Badeh noted, “The personnel stated that the helicopter appeared to be struggling to gain balance right before it crashed into the ocean. The Helicopter Landing Officer (HLO) reported calling 5N-BQG via radio three times, but there was no response, so they immediately made a PAN PAN call.”
Search and rescue efforts involved multiple agencies, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), the Nigerian Navy, NSIB, HD Pioneer Hydro Drive, and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), alongside nearby vessels.
The report revealed that the helicopter’s Radio Altimeter (Radait) had been flagged and deferred for maintenance on October 18, just days before the crash on October 24, 2024.
According to the NSIB report, “On 24 October 2024, a Sikorsky S76C+ Helicopter with nationality and registration marks 5N-BQG operated by Eastwind Aviation Logistics Services Limited was on a drop-off and pick-up operation of oil workers to Nuim Antan, a Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facility located near the Bight of Bonny in the Atlantic Ocean.”
A significant finding was that the helicopter lacked a Flight Data Recorder (FDR), violating the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs) 2023 Part 7.8.2.2(q), which mandates FDRs for helicopters with a maximum take-off weight between 3,175 kg and 7,000 kg.
The Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) was recovered from the seabed on November 8, 2024, thirteen days after the crash.
The data was analyzed by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in the United States. The NSIB confirmed, “The last 31 minutes of the CVR recording were successfully downloaded.”
The helicopter destroyed upon impact, and the wreckage was discovered at coordinates 04°13’37” N 008°19’22” E, 42 meters deep.
The report also mentioned fuel on the water’s surface and debris dispersed throughout the disaster site, including personal goods of the crew and passengers.
In addition to this preliminary report, the NSIB issued final reports on two more incidents: the Beech Baron 58 crash at Kaduna Airport on December 31, 2022, and the Bell 429 helicopter accident involving the Nigeria Police Air Wing in Bauchi on January 26, 2022.
