10 things we know about Lagos helicopter tragedy

Time of crash

The accident happened on Wednesday, August 12, 2015 at about 3:27 p.m. at the Lagos Lagoon waters behind Oworonshoki Police Division.

Who owns the helicopter?

The chopper belongs to Bristow Helicopters Service.

How many people were on board?

There were 12 people on board when it crashed into the Lagos Lagoon.

Who are those on board?

The General Manager of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Michael Akindele said the names of the survivors and the dead cannot be published until it sees the helicopter’s manifest – a list containing the names of the people on board.

Ten among those on board are believed to be employees of Transocean, an American oil logistics firm. The two crew members are from Bristow.

Any casualty?

Unfortunately, yes. Six of the 12 people on board the chopper have now been confirmed dead. Only four of these bodies were recovered yesterday.

The other two were recovered, Thursday. They were the bodies of a white man who happened to be the pilot, and his black co-pilot. The bodies were recovered around 10:45 a.m.

Some items, and cash, found on some of the victims.

Any survivor?

Six other people were rescued alive. They sustained varying degrees of injuries. Four of them were admitted at Gbagada General Hospital while the other two were taken to Folabi Medical Centre, Oworonshoki for medical attention.

Those who are Trasnocean staff were later taken to a private hospital which caters for the oil firm’s medical need.

How did the rescuers respond?

The Nigerian police said it responded well to distress calls. It said the same for the other government agencies and local divers who participated in the search and rescue operation.

Where is the helicopter?

The Helicopter being pulled out of the waters.

It has been taken out of the water, but reports say the black box is missing. The box will be needed by investigators who will probe the cause of the crash.

What else?

Bristow Helicopters Service said it will take care of the families of the deceased. It has also taken responsibility for the survivors.

…and…

This patrolling helicopter was part of the rescue efforts.

Bristow and aviation regulatory agencies, especially the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), as well as officials of NEMA and AIB are billed to brief the media on the accident by 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, where the identity of the casualties and other immediate details are expected to be given.