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The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has successfully recovered the flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) from the Sikorsky SK76 helicopter that crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near Bonny Finima, Rivers State. The announcement was made on Friday by Bimbo Oladeji, NSIB’s Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance.

The helicopter, operated by East Wind Aviation and chartered by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, went down on October 24 after taking off from Port Harcourt. Two weeks after the tragic incident, the black box was located and retrieved early Friday morning through a collaborative search effort involving NNPC, NIMASA, the Nigerian Navy, and HydroDive.

NSIB’s statement confirmed that these “black box” devices, essential for a comprehensive accident investigation, were recovered with the help of local and international partners. “By analyzing the data from the FDR and CVR, investigators can reconstruct the sequence of events leading up to the crash and identify contributing factors,” the statement noted.

The recovered recorders have been secured for transport to NSIB’s data analysis laboratory, where specialists will conduct an in-depth analysis to uncover the operational and technical conditions before the accident. NSIB Director General, Captain Alex Badeh Jr., emphasized the significance of this recovery, stating, “The black box holds crucial information that will provide insights into the events that led to this tragic accident. Our thoughts are with the families affected as efforts continue to account for all missing individuals and provide answers.”

The helicopter was carrying six passengers and two crew members when it crashed. Three bodies have been recovered so far, and search operations remain ongoing.