The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau reports that the black box, flight data recorder, and cockpit voice recorder from a crashed helicopter have yet to be recovered.
The Sikorsky SK76 helicopter, operated by East Wind Aviation and contracted by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, nosedived in Rivers State on October 24.
Recovery of these devices is critical, as their data will enable investigators to reconstruct the events leading up to the crash and determine its cause, according to TheCable.
The helicopter was en route from the Nigerian Air Force base in Port Harcourt to the NNPC floating production storage and offloading facility when the accident occurred.
This route is significant for oil and gas operations, and the incident raises concerns about safety protocols in such high-stakes environments.
The aircraft, which was carrying six passengers and two crew members, plunged into the Atlantic Ocean near Bonny Finima, off the coast of Calabar.
Following the crash, five bodies have been recovered from the site. Search and recovery efforts are ongoing as authorities work to locate any additional victims and gather information for the investigation.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the director of public affairs and family assistance at NSIB, Bimbo Oladeji, said the search was suspended on Saturday due to “loss of daylight”.
Oladeji noted that search efforts will continue today, with plans to deploy more equipment to improve the operation.
“As of 11:55 AM today (Saturday), 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 (Sunday) 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 statement read.
The statement added “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.
“The NSIB is collaborating closely with an amalgamated team of search, rescue, and recovery units comprising various government agencies and private entities.
“The Bureau urges the public to avoid speculation, emphasizing the importance of respecting the integrity of the recovery and investigation as they progress.”
