Black box recovered while search for three missing persons continues following Rivers helicopter crash

The flight data recorder (FDR) and the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) from the ill-fated Sikorsky SK76 helicopter which crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Bonny Finima, Rivers State, have been recovered. 

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) disclosed this in a statement on Friday, Nov. 8, by Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Bimbo Oladeji. 

On October 24, the ill-fated aircraft, operated by East Wind Aviation and hired by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, nosedived in Port Harcourt, the state capital. 

Two weeks after the tragic incident, NSIB spokesperson, said the black box was retrieved early Friday. 

She said the devices were found in collaboration with Search and Recovery partners NNPC, NIMASA, the Nigerian Navy, and HydroDive. 

“The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (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. 

“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,” the statement read. 

By analysing data from the devices, investigators can piece together the events leading up to the crash and identify its cause. 

The NSIB spokesperson said recovered recorder has been secured for transport to the bureau’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,” she stated. 

The Director General of the NSIB, Captain Alex Badeh Jr., commended the recovery teams and stressed the importance of the investigation. 

He said, “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.” 

The aircraft, carrying six passengers and two crew members, plunged into the Atlantic Ocean near Bonny Finima, off the coast of Calabar. 

Three bodies have been recovered from the site of the crash. Search for three missing persons continues.