Helicopter crash: NIMASA recovers black box

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency said it has recovered the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder or black box of the helicopter that crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near Bonny Finima recently.

NIMASA said the vital parts were recovered at the weekend through an inter-agency collaboration involving the Nigerian Navy, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, HydroDive, and other local and international search and rescue partners.

In a statement on Sunday, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, noted that the agency would share information on the incident with the International Maritime Organisation.

Mobereola commended all organs of government for the swift and well-coordinated inter-agency partnership for the search and recovery operations.

“NIMASA will share details of her findings from the helicopter crash into the Atlantic Ocean near Bonny Finima, with the IMO. The FDR and CVR otherwise called the black box was recovered this weekend through an inter-agency collaboration involving NIMASA, the Nigerian Navy, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau,NNPC, HydroDive, and other local and international search and rescue partners,” Mobereola explained.

He stated that in line with international maritime safety standards, NIMASA will report the findings about the helicopter crash into the Atlantic Ocean to the IMO via the Global Integrated Shipping Information System.

Mobereola stated that by sharing the findings of the offshore Port Harcourt helicopter crash with the IMO, the agency has demonstrated Nigeria’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and cooperation within the global maritime community.

He highlighted that the GISIS is an online platform developed by the IMO to support the timely and accurate reporting of incidents, accidents, and other essential maritime data.

Mobereola maintained that the platform enables member states to share information crucial to improving safety protocols, updating best practices, and fostering international cooperation.

According to him, NIMASA is committed to working closely with all relevant agencies to determine the cause of the incident and to take all necessary steps to prevent future occurrences.

“As we mourn those lives lost, NIMASA reaffirms its dedication to the safety of Nigeria’s maritime domain and the continued strengthening of inter-agency collaboration,” he said.

He reiterated that NIMASA worked closely with the Nigerian Navy, NSIB, the NNPC, HydroDive, and other local and international search and rescue partners to recover the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder from the Sikorsky SK76 helicopter, registration 5N BQG.

Mobereola mentioned that with the recovery of the black box, over 80 per cent of the helicopter wreck had been recovered.

“Other items recovered include the rotor, 3 blades, engine, gearbox, windows, Cockpit overhead panels, the Electronic Locator, Transmitter, and the tail. All the recovered wreck is on a dump barge,” he added.

Meanwhile, the DG NIMASA has extended the agency’s heartfelt condolences to the NNPCL, the families of the victims, and all those affected by the tragic helicopter crash.

“Our deepest sympathies are with the NNPC, the families, and loved ones of those affected by this unfortunate incident. Safety is a paramount commitment for us at NIMASA, and we remain resolute in our partnership with the Nigerian Navy and other stakeholders to ensure effective, rapid response in emergencies,” he averred.

On October 24, 2024, a helicopter crashed in the Atlantic Ocean near Bonny Finima, at a distance of 1.4km from the starboard side of the Floating Producing Storage Offloading NUIM ANTAN Producing Ltd owned by Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

NIMASA, however, received distress signals at the Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, and the C4i centre of the Deep Blue project and shared the same with the Nigerian Navy who immediately deployed NIMASA’s specialised search and rescue assets to the crash site to locate the downed aircraft and conduct recovery efforts under challenging conditions.