NSIB recovers black box of crashed helicopter in Rivers

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has recovered the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), well known as black box, of the crashed Sikorsky SK76 helicopter in Rivers State.

The NSIB Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Bimbo Oladeji, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, November 8, 2024.

Oladeji said the Search and Recovery partners in the investigation are the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency , the Nigerian Navy, and HydroDive.

The ditched Sikorsky SK76 with registration 5N BQG crashed off the coast of Bonny Finima, Atlantic Ocean, Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on October 24.

The helicopter operated by Eastwind Aviation was transporting eight passengers at the time of the crash.

Oladeji stated that since the accident, the NSIB and its Search and Recovery partners had coordinated a search and recovery effort.

She added that the search was in collaboration with local and international partners to locate and retrieve the bodies of the deceased and the critical components necessary for a comprehensive investigation.

NSIB locates wreckage of crashed helicopter in Rivers

The NSIB spokesperson said the FDR and CVR, commonly referred to the aircraft’s black box, was retrieved on Friday morning.

According to her, the device is crucial in helping investigators analyse flight performance and cockpit communications to determine the sequence of events leading up to the accident.

She added that the recovered recorder had been secured for transport to NSIB’s data analysis lab, where it would undergo data extraction and analysis by NSIB’s specialists.

Oladeji added that the analysis would help the bureau gain insights into the operational and technical conditions preceding the accident and to help determine the cause of the accident.

Oladeji noted that as of Friday, three individuals remained unaccounted for, adding that long-term search efforts will continue in coordination with local and international partners.

She said further updates would be provided as the investigation progressed and significant developments emerged.

She quoted the NSIB Director-General, Capt. Alex Badeh, as commending the recovery teams and stressing the importance of the investigation.

The NSIB has so far recovered bodies of five of the eight individuals said to be aboard the ill-fated helicopter.

On October 31, the bureau announced the recovery of the wreckage of the crashed helicopter.

The Star