The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has confirmed the recovery of two additional bodies from the Sikorsky S-76 helicopter that crashed over the Bonny River near Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday.
News About Nigeria reports that this brings the total number of bodies recovered to five, with three occupants still unaccounted for.
Initial reports indicated that three bodies had been found, though all eight passengers and crew members were feared dead according to the Rivers State Police Command.
The Eastwind Aviation helicopter, carrying six passengers and two crew members, was en route to the FPSO-NUIMS ANTAN oil rig for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) when it crashed just a kilometre from its destination.
NSIB Director General Alex Badeh provided an update on Channels TV on Friday, stating, “We have recovered two more bodies, making it a total of five. Hopefully, the remaining three will be recovered today.”
Badeh noted that an investigation into the crash’s cause is ongoing, and while the chances of survival appear slim, there remains a “chance” that survivors could be found, especially if life support devices were used.
“The priority is to recover the rest of the bodies there” but there is a “chance” that some persons onboard the aircraft might be alive.
“Human beings are resilient. As long as they have their life support devices, there is a chance we might find survivors there,” Badeh said.
The incident, which occurred at around 11:22 a.m. after the helicopter took off from the Port Harcourt Military Base (DNPM), has prompted further examination of weather conditions, as light to moderate rain and an overcast sky were reported at the time of the crash.
Badeh explained that these factors could have contributed but added, “I can’t really say until we recover the flight recorder and speak to more witnesses.”
