NCAA debunks airworthiness claims of Port Harcourt Helicopter crash

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has firmly rejected reports suggesting that the helicopter registered as 5N-BQG, which crashed in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, last week, was not airworthy.

In a statement, NCAA Director-General Chris Najomo clarified that the helicopter had not been scrapped in 2018, as some reports have alleged.

National Daily Newspaper recalls that on Thursday, the helicopter, operated by East Wind Aviation and engaged by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), went down at approximately 11:22 a.m. along the waterways in the Rivers State capital.

The helicopter had taken off from the Port Harcourt Military Base, with its destination being the FPSO – NUIMS ANTAN oil rig.

There were a total of eight individuals on board, and so far, four bodies have been recovered from the crash site.

An online report had erroneously claimed that the helicopter was scrapped abroad in 2018. Responding to these claims, Najomo stated, “The attention of the Authority has been brought to a report by Sahara Reporters regarding the airworthiness status of the recently crashed helicopter with registration marks 5N-BQG.”

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He further explained that the report inaccurately stated that the aircraft was initially registered in 2004 as 5N-BGN with Aero Contractors, then deregistered to Canada in 2009.

The report also suggested that the aircraft’s registration was canceled in September 2018 after it was “presumably scrapped,” raising questions about how it was subsequently moved to Nigeria and re-registered as 5N-BQG.

National Daily Newspaper confirmed that Najomo emphasized the importance of accurate reporting in the aviation sector, reinforcing that the NCAA is committed to ensuring the safety and reliability of all aircraft operating within Nigerian airspace.