Crashed Bristow Helicopter Lands On Water, All Passengers Rescued

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016

By Ayo Balogun, Lagos

LAGOS, NIGERIA (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A disaster was averted in Lagos Wednesday as 11 people survived as a helicopter crashed in Lagos

The incident which has been confirmed by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) involved a Bristow helicopter en-route Lagos from Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

In the meantime, Bristow Helicopters Limited has reacted to the development, saying the chopper landed on water.

A statement issued by the company, hours after the incident indicated that the helicopter in question was involved in water landing in Lagos while on a return trip from an offshore platform.

The company firm confirmed that there were nine passengers on board and two crew members, stating that they were accounted for and in the “process of being transferred to a nearby installation”.

“Bristow Helicopters (Nigeria) Limited, confirmed today that one of its helicopters, was involved in a water landing near Lagos at about 10.25 a.m. local time on return from an offshore platform.

“The aircraft, a Sikorsky S-76C++, had departed on a routine crew transfer flight offshore with nine passengers and a crew of two.

“All persons onboard are accounted for and in the process of being transferred to a nearby installation.

“The company is in the process of collecting pertinent information and will release more details as soon as it is available” the company informed.

Similar incident occurred last year August when another helicopter also on the fleet of Bristow crashed into the Lagoon. Six out of the 12 passengers, on board then, including expatriates, who coincidentally were en-route Port Harcourt to Lagos died in the crash.