The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has confirmed that the helicopter, with registration 5N-BQG, which crashed last week in Port Harcourt, Rivers state was airworthy, countering claims that it had been scrapped in 2018.
NCAA Director General Chris Najomo clarified in a statement on Tuesday that an online news report suggesting the helicopter was scrapped was incorrect.
Najomo explained, “The attention of the Authority has been brought to a report by Sahara Reporters on the airworthiness status of the recently crashed helicopter… Based on our records, the helicopter was fully operational and airworthy.”
The helicopter, operated by East Wind Aviation and engaged by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, crashed on Thursday at around 11:22 a.m. near the waterways of Rivers State’s capital. The copter, which had taken off from the Port Harcourt Military Base, was en route to the FPSO NUIMS ANTAN oil rig with eight people on board; four bodies have been recovered so far.
Responding to specific allegations, Najomo explained that the crash involved a different helicopter than the one claimed to have been scrapped. He clarified that while both helicopters shared similar model details, they had different Manufacturer Serial Numbers, making it clear they were separate aircraft.
“The recently crashed helicopter, registered as 5N-BQG, has MSN: 760486. This is different from the previously deregistered helicopter, 5N-BGN, which had MSN: 760468,” Najomo stated, further explaining, “The 5N-BQG helicopter was initially registered with Nestoil Plc in 2012 and later changed operators and owners, most recently to East Wind Aviation in February 2024.”
Najomo emphasized the importance of using accurate registration and serial numbers to track aircraft records, calling the earlier reports “misleading.”
“Based on the data from our records, it is clear that Sahara Reporters could not clearly differentiate the records of the recently crashed East Wind Aviation helicopter and the de-registered Aero Contractors helicopter,” Najamo stated.
