Search and Rescue Operations Intensify as Authorities Confirm Three Bodies Recovered from The Helicopter Crash
PORT HARCOURT- Three people have been confirmed dead following the crash of a Sikorsky SK76 helicopter in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday, October 24, 2024.
The aircraft, registered as 5NBQG and operated by East Wind Aviation, went down at 11:22 a.m. while en route from Port Harcourt Military Base to the Nuimantan oil rig. The helicopter crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near Bonny Finima.
According to the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development spokesperson, Odutayo Oluseyi, there were eight people on board when the incident occurred. Search and rescue operations have been activated, with assistance from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and other agencies. So far, three bodies have been recovered, and efforts are ongoing to locate the remaining five passengers.
While no Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) signal was detected, manual plotting efforts are ongoing, and military and low-flying aircraft have been deployed to locate possible survivors.
“All available resources, including military personnel and low-flying aircraft, have been mobilized to assist in the search and rescue operation,”
the ministry said in a statement, offering condolences to the victims’ families.
“Our thoughts are with the families of those on board as we continue rescue efforts,”
the ministry stated.
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