NSIB recovers black box of crashed helicopter in Rivers state

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has successfully retrieved the black box from the East Wind Aviation helicopter that tragically crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near Bonny Finima, Rivers State, on October 24. The helicopter, chartered by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, was carrying six passengers and two crew members on a journey from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) base in Port Harcourt when it went down around 11:22 a.m.

A week following the crash, NSIB confirmed the recovery of a fifth body from the wreckage. On Friday, Bimbo Oladeji, NSIB Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, announced the retrieval of the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) — vital devices that can provide insights into the events leading to the accident.

“The FDR and CVR, known as the ‘black box,’ were recovered early this morning,” Oladeji reported. “This data is essential to analyze flight performance and cockpit communications and will help identify the cause of the accident.”

The NSIB coordinated with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and international partners for this search and recovery operation. The black box has been secured and will undergo detailed analysis at the NSIB’s lab to uncover the operational and technical factors leading to the crash.

In his statement, NSIB Director-General Alex Badeh expressed gratitude for the recovery efforts, stating that “The black box will provide invaluable insights into the sequence of events, assisting in determining the cause and informing future safety recommendations.