Helicopter Crash: Flight data, voice recorders recovered, as search continues for three bodies

Search and recovery efforts in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Bonny Finima have yielded critical findings.

The team scouring for the Sikorsky SK76 helicopter, which crashed into the ocean on October 24, 2024, successfully recovered the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) from the wreckage.

The aircraft is registered as 5N BQG.

In an official statement, Mrs. Bimbo Oladeji, Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance for the National Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), confirmed the recovery early Friday morning.

She highlighted the extensive collaboration involved, noting that the team consisted of experts from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Nigerian Navy, and HydroDive.

The statement reads: “NSIB, in conjunction with the Search and Recovery partners NNPC, NIMASA, the Nigerian Navy, and HydroDive, has recovered the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) from the Sikorsky SK76 helicopter, registration 5N BQG, which ditched in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Bonny Finima on October 24, 2024. The helicopter, operated by Eastwind Aviation, was transporting eight passengers at the time of the accident.

“Since the accident, NSIB and its Search and Recovery partners have coordinated a search and recovery effort 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.

“The FDR and CVR, commonly referred to as the aircraft’s “black box,” was retrieved early this morning. This device is crucial in helping investigators analyse flight performance and cockpit communications to determine the sequence of events leading up to the accident. The recovered recorder has been secured for transport to NSIB’s data analysis lab. It will undergo data extraction and analysis by NSIB’s specialists to gain insights into the operational and technical conditions preceding the accident and to help determine the cause of the accident.

“As of today, three individuals remain unaccounted for, and long-term search efforts continue in coordination with local and international partners. NSIB Director General Captain Alex Badeh Jr. commended the recovery teams and stressed the importance of the investigation:

“The recovery of the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder marks a monumental step in understanding what led to this tragic accident. The black box holds vital information that will provide invaluable insight into the sequence of events leading up to the accident, which will help us determine the cause and inform any necessary safety recommendations. While our thoughts are with the families of those still unaccounted for, concerted efforts are being made to find the missing individuals and provide answers to the families affected by this accident.”