Critical Component For Unravelling Causes of Copter Crash Retrieved 15 Days After

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BLACK BOX: contains Flight Data Recorder, FDR, and Voice Data Recorder, VDR

Fifteen days after the crash of the Eastwind aviation helicopter, a Sikorsky SK76, in Bonny, Finima, the most critical element for unravelling the cause of the accident, the Flight Data Recorder, FDR, and the Cockpit Voice Recorder, CVR, have been retrieved from the bed of the Atlantic Ocean.

A media statement from the coordinating agency for the search and recovery team, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, NSIB, announced on Friday the recovery of the Black box from the Sikorsky SK76 helicopter with registration mark 5N BQG, which ditched in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Bonny, Finima, on 24th October 2024.

The statement affirmed that the recovered recorder had been secured for transport to NSIB data analysis lab where it will undergo data extraction and analysis by NSIB specialists.

The ripping of the recorder and concise decoding of the code would enable investigators to gain insights into the operational and technical conditions preceding the accident. It would also help determine the cause of the accident.

So far, five of the eight souls in the crashed helicopter have been retrieved while three individuals remain unaccounted for yet, long-term search efforts continue in coordination with local and international partners.

Capt Alex Badeh Jr., Director General, NSIB, highlighted the importance of the voice and flight data recorder retrieved thus, “the recovery of the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder marked a monumental step in understanding what led to this tragic accident. The black box holds vital information that will provide invaluable insight into the sequence of events leading up to the accident, which will help us determine the cause and inform any necessary safety recommendations”.

To those who lost their loved ones in the crash, Badeh Jr. thus empathized, “While our thoughts are with the families of those still unaccounted for, concerted efforts are being made to find the missing individuals and provide answers to the families affected by this accident”, he said.

The helicopter, operated by Eastwind Aviation, was transporting eight passengers at the time of the accident.

The search and recovery team coordinated by NSIB comprises the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd, NNPC, Nigerian Maritime Safety And Administration, NIMASA, the Nigerian Navy, and HydroDive.