COPTER CRASH IN FINIMA: Investigation assumes international collaboration phase- US, France in active participation
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A helicopter on a search mission flying across the ocean
Festus Keyamo, aviation and aerospace development minister has announced that in the tradition of a foolproof and internationally acceptable air accident investigation, the manufacturer of the crashed Sikorsky SK76 helicopter with registration number 5N-BQG, and the engine designer have all been invited to participate in the efforts to unravel the immediate and remote causes of the 14th October 2024 accident in Finima, Bonny, Rivers State.
The good news is that both the US designer and manufacturer of the helicopter, the country’s air accident investigation agency, the National Transportation Safety Board, NTSB, and the engine designer and manufacturer in France and the country’s air accident investigation agency, have all unanimously agreed to participate and have named their experts that would soon join the Nigerian counterpart, Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, NSIB, in the daunting task.
Keyamo highlighted tasks before the investigators thus: “We will examine the roles of man, machine, and the environment that might have directly or indirectly contributed to this accident”.
He added, “We will review the certified maintenance documents of the crash helicopter and the crew’s training and medical records. We have received full cooperation from the operator, and as I speak with you, all aviation agencies, NCAA, NAMA, and NiMet are cooperating with the NSIB”.
The minister at the media parley in Abuja assured the nation, “It is imperative to mention that the search and rescue operations continued unabated day and night for 14 days. So far, five bodies were identified to be the deceased passengers were recovered, while one passenger and two crew members are yet to be found.”
However, the helmsman at the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, NSIB, Capt Alex Badeh Jnr., said: “As you know, the federal government does not give up on any Nigerian citizen lost or harmed anywhere. So, the Nigerian government, through the Federal Ministry of Aviation and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, is still conducting a long-term search and recovery effort for the missing two crew members and one missing passenger”.
He announced further steps taken in the recovery efforts thus, “We have notified others in the littoral waters, Cameroon in particular, to see if anybody floats up into their waters. As you know, we found one body in Cameroon a few days later. So, we’re still looking. The Navy is still on the lookout and so is the NNPC. So, Nigeria will not give up on the missing victims”.
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