President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the military and other relevant agencies to add pep to the rescue operation at the helicopter crash site in Rivers State.
The chartered helicopter, marked 5NBQG and operated by Eastwind Aviation Logistics Services Limited, conveying senior officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), crashed into the Atlantic Ocean yesterday morning.
It was gathered that bad weather caused by heavy rainfall caused the accident.
The chopper took off from the Port Harcourt Military Base (DNPM) en route to a NUIM ANTAN oil rig near Bonny Finima.
It went down one kilometre to its destination around 11:30 a.m. There were eight people on board, six of them NNPCL officials, the pilot and the flight assistant.
Three bodies were recovered by the rescue team.
Although the identities of the bodies were not made known, the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) confirmed that the pilot on board, Captain Yakubu Dukas, who is the association’s vice chairman, had died.
After hours of rescue attempts without much progress because of bad weather, the President last night issued his directive asking for intensification of the rescue effort.
A statement by Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said: “President Tinubu urges military officers involved in various operations in the zone to join the rescue mission and provide all necessary support to the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, and other relevant agencies.
“The President condoles with the Board and staff of Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) and the families of all those who were confirmed to have passed away in the accident.
“President Tinubu fervently prays that the Almighty God will grant eternal rest to the three departed souls and comfort their families.”
