On Monday, The Federal Government confirmed it had begun talks with the government of United States of America on the ongoing investigation of a chopper crash that claimed the lives of the Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings, Herbert Wigwe, and some prominent Nigerians in California, USA, on Friday.
Wigwe; his wife, Doreen; son, Chizi; and a former Group Chairman of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Abimola Ogunbanjo, died after the Airbus Helicopter EC130B4 carrying them crashed at a border town between California and Nevada, killing all the six occupants including two crew members.
The ill-fated helicopter, operated by Orbic Air as a Part 135 charter flight, crashed around 10pm on Friday. This came as American investigators said the wreckage of the crashed chopper would be transferred to a new location in the US for comprehensive tests on Tuesday (today).
Nigeria’s NSIB is the Federal Government agency that investigates air crashes, among others in the country. The NTSB has similar mandate in the US.
The Federal Government said the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau had entered into discussions with the National Transportation Safety Board of the United States to officer necessary support on the ongoing investigation of the circumstances that led to crash of the chopper.
The sad development has led to widespread morning in Nigeria and the Diaspora. President Bola Tinubu, President Emmanuel Macron of France, state governors in Nigeria, business tycoons and some prominent Nigerians have expressed commiserated with the families of the deceased Nigerians.
The ill-fated helicopter, operated by Orbic Air as a Part 135 charter flight, crashed around 10pm on Friday.
Nigeria’s NSIB is the Federal Government agency that investigates air crashes, among others in the country. The NTSB has similar mandate in the US.