The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, announced that the preliminary report on the recent helicopter crash in Rivers State will be released within 30 days.
According to DailyTrust, he provided the update during a press briefing in Abuja, joined by leaders from the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau , Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, and Nigerian Airspace Management Agency.
The incident, which involved a Sikorsky SK76 helicopter operated by East Wind Aviation on contract with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, took place on October 24.
The helicopter, carrying six passengers and two crew members, crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near Bonny Finima, off the Calabar coast.
Last week, NSIB confirmed the recovery of the helicopter’s black box, containing both the Flight Data Recorder and the Cockpit Voice Recorder. “The process of analyzing the black box recordings is underway,” Keyamo said.
Keyamo noted that the United States, as the manufacturer and designer of the helicopter, has assigned an investigator as an accredited representative, supported by a technical adviser from Sikorsky Aircraft.
Additionally, France, responsible for the helicopter’s engines, has also appointed a representative, with assistance from SANFRA, a technical advisory body.
“All things being equal, we will publish the preliminary report on the NSIB website within 30 days,” Keyamo explained. “However, it can typically take up to a year or more to produce the final report and any potential safety recommendations.”
