The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has confirmed the identities of six employees who tragically lost their lives in a helicopter crash on Thursday. The deceased staff members are:
Tamunoemi Suku
Alu Lawrence
Etim Emmanuel
Kenneth Chikwem
Frank Oriamre
Borris Ndorbo
The pilot, Captain Yakubu Dukas, was also among the victims, while one additional passenger remains yet to be identified.
Crash Details
The helicopter, operated by East Winds Aviation, was en route to the FPSO-NUIMS ANTAN facility when it crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. Eight persons were onboard, with three lifeless bodies retrieved from the ocean on Thursday and two others recovered on Friday, bringing the total recovered bodies to five.
Ongoing Search Operations
The Nigerian Air Management Agency (NAMA) has enlisted neighbouring countries, including Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, in the search for the missing helicopter and passengers. NAMA’s Managing Director, Umar Farouq, assured that concerted efforts are being made to locate the missing aircraft and passengers.
“Through concerted efforts, we are on top of the matter, with other agencies the search operation is on and Insha Allah we shall be successful,” Farouq stated.
Regional Assistance
Farouq confirmed that all Flight Information Regions have been called upon for assistance in the search operation.
