The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has said that only three individuals have been recovered following Thursday’s helicopter crash.
However, this contradicts earlier reports indicating that two more bodies were found on Friday, in addition to the initial three recovered on the day of the incident.
NSIB Director General Alex Badeh, while featuring on Channels TV programme on Friday, said: “We have recovered two more bodies, making it a total of five. Hopefully, the remaining three will be recovered today.”
However, Olufemi Soneye, NNPC’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, in a statement on Sunday, said no other bodies were recovered beyond the initial three.
He said, “The NNPC Ltd. wishes to announce that beyond the three bodies found in the ill-fated helicopter operated by East Winds Aviation that crashed on Thursday in Port Harcourt, no other bodies have been recovered.
“The Company further notes that intensified search and rescue operations for the remaining bodies along with relevant authorities is still ongoing.
“Once again, our hearts and prayers are with family members of this unfortunate incident.”
Earlier, The Bureau Newspaper reported that the NSIB said it was working to deploy Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) equipped to operate at depths of up to 1,000 meters for underwater search of the black box and other critical components from the wreckage of the helicopter that crashed in Rivers State on Thursday.
A statement by Mrs Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, NSIB Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance on Saturday explained the recovery operation and investigation being carried out by the agency into the ditching of the Sikorsky SK76 helicopter, with registration number 5N BQG, operated by Eastwind Aviation.
NSIB said it was still searching for critical components like “black box, Flight Data Recorder (FDR), or Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR)”.
The helicopter had eight persons onboard and took place off the coast of Bonny Finima in the Atlantic Ocean.