President Bola Ahmed Tinubu last night directed the military and other relevant agencies to join the search operation at the helicopter crash site in Rivers State.
The chartered helicopter, marked 5NBQG and operated by Eastwind Aviation Logistics Services Limited, conveying senior officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), crashed into the Atlantic Ocean yesterday morning.
It was gathered that bad weather occasioned by heavy rainfall caused the accident.
The chopper took off from the Port Harcourt Military Base (DNPM) en route to a NUIM ANTAN oil rig near Bonny Finima.
It went down one kilometre to its destination around 11:30 a.m. .
There were eight people on board, six of them NNPCL officials, the pilot and the flight assistant.
Three bodies were initially recovered by the rescue team. By yesterday additional more bodies were recovered.
Although, the identities of the bodies were not made known, the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) confirmed that the pilot on board, Captain Yakubu Dukas, who is the association’s vice chairman, had died.
After hours of rescue attempts without much progress because of bad weather, the President last night issued his directive asking for intensification of the rescue effort.
A statement by Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said: “President Tinubu urges military officers involved in various operations in the zone to join the rescue mission and provide all necessary support to the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, and other relevant agencies.
“The President condoles with the Board and staff of Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) and the families of all those who were confirmed to have passed away in the accident.
“President Tinubu fervently prays that the Almighty God will grant eternal rest to the the departed souls and comfort their families.”
The NNPCL said search and rescue operations commenced almost immediately after the accident.
Its spokesman, Olufemi Soneye, said the public oil firm engaged the helicopter with ‘’its staffers on board.’
Soneye offered prayers for the passengers, the crew, and their families.
He said: ‘’There were eight persons on board – six passengers and two crew members. The appropriate authorities have been contacted, including the Ministry of Aviation, who have since issued a press statement. Search and rescue missions are currently ongoing. So far, three bodies have been recovered.
‘We shall continue to monitor the situation and provide regular updates as the events unfold. Our prayers are with the passengers, crew, and their respective families at this very difficult time. We assure you that we will continue doing everything possible to support the ongoing search and rescue operation.”
