Helicopter Crash: Black Box Found, Search Intensifies for Missing Passengers

The team searching the Atlantic Ocean off Bonny Finima’s coast has recovered the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) from the Sikorsky SK76 helicopter, registered as 5N BQG, which crashed on October 24, 2024.

Mrs. Bimbo Oladeji, NSIB’s Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, announced that the recovery team included the NNPC, NIMASA, the Nigerian Navy, and HydroDive. The black box was retrieved early Friday morning, marking a critical development in the investigation.

Her statement reads: “In collaboration with NNPC, NIMASA, the Nigerian Navy, and HydroDive, the NSIB has successfully retrieved the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) from the Sikorsky SK76 helicopter, registration 5N BQG.

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The helicopter, operated by Eastwind Aviation, was transporting eight passengers when it crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off Bonny Finima’s coast on October 24, 2024.

“Since the accident, NSIB and its partners have led extensive efforts to recover the bodies of the deceased and essential components necessary for the investigation.

The black box, recovered early this morning, will assist investigators in analyzing flight data and cockpit communications to understand the events leading to the accident. The recorder has been secured for transport to the NSIB data analysis lab for detailed data extraction and analysis by NSIB specialists.

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“Currently, three individuals remain unaccounted for, and the search continues in partnership with local and international agencies. NSIB Director General Captain Alex Badeh Jr. praised the recovery teams, emphasizing the importance of the investigation:

‘The retrieval of the FDR and CVR is a significant milestone in uncovering what led to this tragic accident. The black box holds crucial information that will help us determine the cause and inform potential safety recommendations. Our thoughts remain with the families of those still missing, and our combined efforts aim to bring answers and closure to the families affected by this accident.’”

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