The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency has declared its plan to disclose results from the recent helicopter accident close to Bonny Finima in the Atlantic Ocean to the International Maritime Organization.
The statement comes after the retrieval of the helicopter’s black box through a collaborative effort among NIMASA, the Nigerian Navy, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, NNPC, HydroDive, and additional partners.
NIMASA’s Director General, Dayo Mobereola, hailed the collective actions that resulted in the retrieval of the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) from the crashed Sikorsky SK76 helicopter.
The crash location, situated 1.4 kilometers from an offshore oil rig, also produced important debris, such as rotor blades, the engine, gearbox, and cockpit panels.
Consistent with global standards, NIMASA said it would share its discoveries through the IMO’s Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS), promoting worldwide safety protocols and openness in the maritime sector.
Mobereola offered condolences to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the victims’ families, and others impacted by the accident, reiterating NIMASA’s commitment to maritime safety and collaboration among agencies.
The helicopter carrying eight passengers crashed into the waters near Bonny Finima, off the Atlantic coast, on Thursday morning, in Port Harcourt, October 24, 2024 according to a statement from the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development.
The Sikorsky SK76 helicopter, with registration number 5NBQG, was operated by East Wind Aviation.
It had departed from the Port Harcourt Military Base en route to the NUIMANTAN oil rig when the accident occurred around 11:22 am.
