The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) says the black box, flight data recorder (FDR), or cockpit voice recorder (CVR) of a crashed helicopter are yet to be recovered.
On October 24, the Sikorsky SK76 helicopter, operated by East Wind Aviation and hired by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, nosedived in Rivers state.
By analysing data from the devices, investigators can piece together the events leading up to the crash and identify its cause.
The helicopter was flying from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) base in Port Harcourt to the national oil company’s floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) facility when the accident occurred.
The aircraft, carrying six passengers and two crew members, plunged into the Atlantic Ocean near Bonny Finima, off the coast of Calabar.
Five bodies have been recovered from the site of the crash.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Bimbo Oladeji, director of public affairs and family assistance at NSIB, said the search was suspended on Saturday due to “loss of daylight”.
Oladeji said the search will resume today, adding that more equipment will be deployed to enhance the operation.
“As of 11:55 AM today (Saturday), divers began setting up and checking equipment to conduct an underwater search and recovery, followed by preliminary sweeping operations at 2:15 PM,” the statement reads.
“However, by 4:30 PM, diving activities were suspended due to the loss of daylight. Recovery operations are set to resume tomorrow (Sunday) at 9:00 AM local time.
“Despite extensive search efforts, no wreckage or critical components – such as the black box, Flight Data Recorder (FDR), or Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) – have yet been located due to the challenging conditions of the operating environment, limited visibility at depth and human divers’ operational constraints.
“To enhance recovery efforts, the NSIB is working to deploy a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) equipped to operate at depths of up to 1,000 meters.
“With its advanced cameras, sensors, and Tether Management System (TMS), the ROV will enable the NSIB team to conduct detailed surveys, collect environmental data, and capture critical evidence essential to understanding the cause of the incident.
“The ROV’s capacity for close inspections and light manipulation tasks will be invaluable in such deep-water environments, where it will aid in assessing wreckage conditions, gathering vital data, and developing insights into potential causes.
“The NSIB is collaborating closely with an amalgamated team of search, rescue, and recovery units comprising various government agencies and private entities.
“The Bureau urges the public to avoid speculation, emphasizing the importance of respecting the integrity of the recovery and investigation as they progress.”
NSIB added that it remains committed to transparency and accountability to enhance transportation safety across Nigeria.
