NSIB Recovers Five More Bodies From Port Harcourt Helicopter Crash Site

Six days after a tragic helicopter crash in Port Harcourt, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has announced the recovery of five additional bodies.

The NSIB stated that one of the bodies required specialised handling due to its decomposed state before it was transferred to the morgue.

The helicopter, a Sikorsky SK76 with registration 5NBQG, had been en route from Port Harcourt Military Base to the NUIMANTAN oil rig when it crashed last Thursday. The incident claimed the lives of all eight passengers and crew on board.

Initially, four bodies were recovered while search teams continued efforts to locate the remaining victims.

The NSIB has been coordinating with local authorities and specialised teams to complete the search and recovery operation.

Clarifying the statement shared with Vanguard, an official of the NSIB, Solomon Adetokunbo, said: “Four bodies were previously recovered, while five bodies were recovered today. The bodies recovered today have not been identified; hence, it can’t be ascertained that all were aboard the ill-fated helicopter.”

Meanwhile, the statement by Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, NSIB, Mrs Bimbo Oladeji, stated that “a total of five bodies were located and recovered today, though the fifth body requires specialised handling due to its decomposed state before being transported to the morgue.”

The statement further reads: “Today’s efforts have yielded the following updates: 09:35 AM: HD Steadfast vessel identified a body in the water. Recovery actions were initiated by deploying the Fast Rescue Craft, FRC, for retrieval of the body.

“09:40 AM: Antan HSE and Security teams were contacted to coordinate an evacuation plan.

“09:55 AM, Eastwind Aviation was contacted to explore possible air ambulance support from Caverton Aviation.

“10:40 AM: HD Steadfast deployed a drone to conduct an extended aerial search of the area to locate additional floating objects or bodies.

“10:45 AM: Sea conditions presented challenges to the FRC crew for recovery. Coordination with HD Steadfast allowed the team to use its crane to retrieve the body safely and transfer it to the FPSO deck, despite inclement weather.

“10:49 AM: Following Eastwind’s notification that air ambulance providers were unavailable, NSIB engaged the Nigerian Navy for logistical support.

“11:15 AM: The body was successfully retrieved by the FRC and prepared for transfer to the FPSO deck.

“11:41 AM: An identification process commenced; while no clothing was found on the body, investigators examined specific characteristics for identity confirmation.

“12:49 PM: The Nigerian Navy was contacted to assist with body evacuation to land.

“1:08 PM: Eastwind Aviation provided crew photographs to support physical identification, which were forwarded to the field superintendent and Offshore Installation Manager (OIM) for verification.

“2:44 PM: The mortician arrived at the Nigerian Air Force base and was escorted to the Navy base by the Antan Flight Coordinator to prepare for the transport of the remains.

“8:00 PM: Divers encountered fragments of clean fibreglass and aluminium, likely from the aircraft. These findings will guide the search grid’s adjustments as NSIB aims to intensify recovery operations within the accident vicinity.

“Divers have remained active on the seabed, conducting a thorough sweep based on recent information about the crash site’s possible location. Calculations incorporating tidal flow direction, strength, and timing indicate the helicopter likely entered the water approximately 1,850 meters west of the initial body recovery area. The search was relocated accordingly, but no signal from the locator beacon was detected at this position. The team has since moved closer to the FPSO, where beacon signals were previously received.

“Search Area Expansion: NSIB has mobilised two vessels equipped with side-scan sonar to broaden the search range. Four additional side-scan sonar units are en route from Port Harcourt and will be deployed tomorrow morning to enhance search coverage.”