By Dickson Omobola

Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, NSIB, are set to meet to exchange relevant information about the crashed helicopter.

Spokesperson for the NCAA, Mr Mike Achimugu, disclosed this to Vanguard Wednesday, saying more details would be revealed as soon as the meeting was concluded.

When asked about how the chopper avoided NCAA’s regulations without being caught, Achimugu, in a chat, stated: “I don’t have the details of that matter yet. Going into a meeting with NSIB and my technical directors to ascertain the facts. Will revert much later.”

On October 24, 2024, a Sikorsky SK76 with registration 5NBQG and operated by Eastwind Aviation en-route from Port Harcourt Military Base to the NUIMANTAN oil rig ditched in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Bonny Finima, leading to the death of eight persons, six passengers and two crew members.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, the NSIB revealed that the chopper was not fitted with Flight Data Recorder, FDR, otherwise known as Black Box.

Director General of the NSIB, Captain Alex Badeh jr., who presented the preliminary report in Abuja, said this was despite the requirements by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, Nig. CARs, 2023 Part 7.8.2.2 (q) that all helicopters with a maximum take-off mass of over 3, 175 kg and up to 7,000kg be fitted with FDR.