Black Box Recovered in Rivers Helicopter Crash as Search for Three Missing Persons Continues

Investigators have recovered the black box from the Rivers helicopter crash site, providing crucial data. The search remains ongoing for three missing individuals. Learn more about the efforts and updates on this tragic incident.

The flight data recorder (FDR) and the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) from the Sikorsky SK76 helicopter that crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near Bonny Finima, Rivers State, have been recovered.

The Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Bimbo Oladeji, revealed this information in a statement from the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) on Friday.

On October 24, the ill-fated aircraft operated by East Wind Aviation and chartered by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited crashed in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

Two weeks following the tragic incident, a spokesperson for NSIB announced that the black box was recovered early Friday.

She stated that the devices were discovered through collaboration with Search and Recovery partners, including NNPC, NIMASA, the Nigerian Navy, and HydroDive.

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), together with Search and Recovery partners NNPC, NIMASA, the Nigerian Navy, and HydroDive, has successfully retrieved the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) from Sikorsky SK76 helicopter registered as 5N BQG. This aircraft had crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near Bonny Finima on October 24, 2024.

Following the accident, NSIB and its Search and Recovery partners have organized a joint search effort in partnership with local and international collaborators to locate and recover the bodies of the deceased as well as critical components essential for a thorough investigation.

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“The statement indicated that the FDR and CVR, often known as the aircraft’s ‘black box,’ were recovered early this morning.”

By analyzing the data from the devices, investigators can reconstruct the events that led to the crash and determine its cause.

The NSIB spokesperson stated that the recovered recorder has been secured and is ready for transport to the bureau’s data analysis lab.

“It will be subject to data extraction and analysis by NSIB’s specialists in order to understand the operational and technical conditions leading up to the accident, which will assist in identifying its cause,” she explained.

Captain Alex Badeh Jr., the Director General of the NSIB, praised the recovery teams and emphasized the significance of conducting a thorough investigation.

He stated that retrieving the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder is a significant step toward understanding the cause of this tragic accident. The black box contains crucial information that will offer valuable insights into the events leading up to the accident, aiding in determining its cause and informing any essential safety recommendations.

Our thoughts remain with the families of those still missing, and we are making concerted efforts to locate these individuals and provide answers to their loved ones affected by this accident.

The aircraft, with six passengers and two crew members on board, crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near Bonny Finima, just off the coast of Calabar.

Three bodies have been found at the crash site.