Eastwind Aviation Logistics Limited has appealed to the media and public to respect the privacy of the affected families following the crash of one of its helicopters, Sikorsky S76.
The helicopter carrying eight persons six passengers and two crew members crashed en route from Port Harcourt Military base to FPSO NUIM ANTAN (offshore Calabar).
Confirming the development on Thursday, the company in a statement by Odiaka Vincent Iweze, said the helicopters, Sikorsky S76, was involved in an accident at approximately 11:30 a.m.
According to him, “Upon receiving this information, our emergency response team was convened immediately, and search and rescue mobilised to the scene, and these remain active at the time of this press release.
“The bodies of three of those on board have been recovered thus far, and identification procedures are currently underway.
“Search and rescue operations are currently ongoing for the remaining individuals.
READ ALSO: Mbah approves N80,000 new minimum wage for Enugu workers
“At this time, our immediate focus and priority is on the search and rescue efforts.
“We are working closely with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, NSIB, and we will provide updates as soon as we have more confirmed information from the ongoing search and rescue operations,” he said.
The company added: “Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones affected by this unfortunate incident. We understand this is an incredibly difficult and anxious time for them.
“Our dedicated team is providing direct support to the families, and we will continue to update them as we receive confirmed information.
“We kindly ask the media and public to respect the privacy of the affected families during this challenging period and we commit to releasing further statements and updates to the general public as verified information becomes available.”
