Four die, six injured as helicopter plunges into Lagos lagoon
http://www.gatewaymail.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Corpses-of-the-death-victims-of-the-helicopter-crash.jpgNIGERIA: FOUR persons died on Wednesday when a Bristow helicopter crashed into the Lagos lagoon.
GatewayMail gathered that the helicopter, which plunged into the river around 3.30 pm, was carrying 10 passengers with two crew members.
While six were said to have rescued, but sustained severe injuries, two others were still missing as at 9 pm Wednesday night.
According to sources, the helicopter, with registration number, 5N-BDG-760540, which was about five minutes to the scheduled landing at Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, was coming from oil rigs.
The identities of the victims, who were returning to Lagos, were not known, but it was learnt that they were staffers of an oil service firm working for a multinational oil company.
Shortly after the fatal crash, some government agencies which included the Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, the Lagos State Fire Service, the police, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, and the National Emergency Management Agency raced to the scene to complement the nearby fishermen who commenced early rescue efforts.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) General Manager (Public Affairs), Mr. Fan Ndubuoke, in a statement, stated that 12 persons were on board the crashed helicopter.
While the spokesperson for NEMA, Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, said that Accident Investigation Bureau would make its report known after investigation, the LASEMA General Manager, Mr. Michael Akindele, said the victims would be identified once the manifest was received.
“We are still awaiting the manifest, but we were told that 12 people were on board,” Akindele said, adding: “The four corpses had been taken to the Mainland Hospital Mortuary. As I speak to you, rescue operations are still on.”
The NCAA spokesperson explained further: “A Bristow helicopter with registration number, 5N – BDG – 760540, en route from one of the nation’s oil rigs has crashed at Oworonshoki in Lagos this evening.”
“The helicopter scheduled to arrive Lagos at 15.35pm had 12 people on board including the crew,” Ndubuoke said, adding: “However, the number of casualties has yet to be determined.”
He added: “At present officials of the Accident Investigation Bureau, National Emergency Management Agency and the Nigeria Police are at the site providing rescue operation for the victims.”
