BY CHINELO OBOGO
Death toll in the Lagos helicopter crash has risen to three as the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) confirmed that the third occupant of the crashed plane has died.
Sunnewsonline.com later learnt that while the captain of the helicopter, Chika Ernest and the engineer on board, Clement Ndiok died on impact, the fitter whose identity wasn’t ascertained at press time died at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) shortly after he was admitted.
His death was later confirmed by AIB’s spokesperson, Tunji Oketunbi. who also said that his organisation has commenced investigations into possible cause of crash.
AIB said the cause of the accident is still being investigated and it will make its findings public as soon as investigations are over.
“Accident Investigation Bureau was notified by Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) at about 12:30pm on 28 August, 2020 and has commenced investigation into an accident involving a Helicopter Bell 206B3 with the nationality registration marks 5N-BQW operated by Quorum Aviation coming from Port Harcourt to Lagos, which occurred on the 28 August, 2020 at the Opebi Area of Ikeja Lagos.
“Three passengers on board – two fatalities and one hospitalised.
As the investigating agency, AIB needs and hereby solicits for your assistance. We want the public to know that we would be amenable to receiving any video clip, relevant evidence, or information any members of the public may have of the accident; that can assist us with this investigation.
“The Bureau will appreciate that the general public and press respect the privacy of the people involved and not assume the cause of the accident until formal report is released,” AIB said earlier.
Meanwhile unconfirmed reports say that the black box of the crashed helicopter has been recovered by AIB officials who were deployed to Salvation road, Opebi, where the accident occurred.
They were said to have recovered the device around 3pm on Friday