The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), in conjunction with the Search and Recovery partners NNPC, NIMASA, the Nigerian Navy, and HydroDive, has recovered the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) from the Sikorsky SK76 helicopter, which crashed on October 24,2024.

The helicopter with registration 5N BQG, ditched in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Bonny Finima.

The helicopter, operated by Eastwind Aviation, was carrying eight passengers at the time of the accident.

Daily Trust reports that while five bodies have been recovered, the search still continues for three more.

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NSIB’s Director, Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Mrs Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, in a statement said since the accident, the agency and its Search and Recovery partners have made efforts to locate and retrieve the bodies of the deceased and the critical components necessary for a comprehensive investigation.

The statement stated that the FDR and CVR, commonly referred to as the aircraft’s “black box,” was retrieved early this morning.

“This device is crucial in helping investigators analyse flight performance and cockpit communications to determine the sequence of events leading up to the accident.

“The recovered recorder has been secured for transport to NSIB’s data analysis lab. It will undergo data extraction and analysis by NSIB’s specialists to gain insights into the operational and technical conditions preceding the accident and to help determine the cause of the accident,” the statement said.