The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has confirmed that it hired the helicopter that crashed in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Thursday.
The national oil company disclosed that it hired the helicopter, operated by East Winds Aviation, adding that the incident occurred en-route NUIMS-ANTAN FPSO.
This was contained in a short press release by the NNPCL Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye.
He also confirmed an earlier report by the Ministry of Aviation on the number of casualty, as he disclosed three bodies have been recovered so far.
“On the 24th of October 2024, about 11:22am, we lost contact with the Helicopter – Register Number: 5NBQG, engaged by NNPC Limited, that took off from Port Harcourt NAF Base en route the FPSO NUIMS ANTAN.
“The helicopter was operated by East Winds Aviation.
“There were eight persons on board (six passengers and two crew members),” NNPCL stated in the release.
“The appropriate authorities have been contacted, including the Ministry of Aviation, who have since issued a press statement.
“Search and rescue missions are currently ongoing. So far, three (3) bodies have been recovered.
“We shall continue to monitor the situation and provide regular updates as the events unfold.
“Our prayers are with the passengers, crew and their respective families at this very difficult time.
“We will continue to do everything possible to support the ongoing search and rescue operation,” NNPCL added in the release.
Recall that the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development had earlier confirmed that three persons died in the helicopter crash.
However, the ministry, in a statement by its spokesperson, Odutayo Oluseyi, stated that the helicopter was on a routine flight from Port Harcourt military base to an oil rig when it crashed into the Atlantic Ocean.
It also confirmed that three bodies have been recovered so far from the crashed helicopter, while search and rescue operations are ongoing to locate the remaining five passengers.
It also stated that no Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) signal was received, but manual efforts to plot the location of the accident were underway.
