By Dickson Omobola

Three days after a Sikorsky SK76 helicopter, registration 5N BQG, operated by East Wind Aviation crashed in Port Harcourt, Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, NSIB, has said no critical components of the aircraft have been found.

NSIB stated that this was due to the challenging conditions of the operating environment, limited visibility at depth and human divers’ operational constraints.

Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, NSIB, Mrs Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, said despite these limitations, it was working to deploy a Remotely Operated Vehicle, ROV, equipped to operate at depths of up to 1,000 metres.

The statement reads: “NSIB continued its recovery operation and investigation into the ditching of a Sikorsky SK76 helicopter, registration 5N BQG, operated by Eastwind Aviation. The incident, which occurred on Thursday, October 24, 2024, involved eight persons onboard and took place off the coast of Bonny Finima in the Atlantic Ocean.

“As of 11:55 AM today, divers began setting up and checking equipment to conduct an underwater search and recovery, followed by preliminary sweeping operations at 2:15 PM. However, by 4:30 PM, diving activities were suspended due to the loss of daylight. Recovery operations are set to resume tomorrow at 9:00 AM local time. Despite extensive search efforts, no wreckage or critical components – such as the black box, Flight Data Recorder, FDR, or Cockpit Voice Recorder, CVR, – have yet been located due to the challenging conditions of the operating environment, limited visibility at depth and human divers’ operational constraints.

“To enhance recovery efforts, the NSIB is working to deploy a Remotely Operated Vehicle, ROV, equipped to operate at depths of up to 1,000 meters. With its advanced cameras, sensors, and Tether Management System, TMS, the ROV will enable the NSIB team to conduct detailed surveys, collect environmental data, and capture critical evidence essential to understanding the cause of the incident. The ROV’s capacity for close inspections and light manipulation tasks will be invaluable in such deep-water environments, where it will aid in assessing wreckage conditions, gathering vital data, and developing insights into potential causes.”