Bristow helicopter ‘waterlands’ into Atlantic Ocean, all 11 passengers survive

But for Providence, another fatal air crash from Bristow Helicopters Nigeria Limited would have happened in Lagos on Wednesday, six months after one of its choppers crashed at Oworonshoki area, claiming the lives of six of the 12 passengers on board.
Another helicopter, Sirkorsky S – 76 C ++, with nine passengers and two crew members coming from Port Harcourt, was involved in what the company referred to as ‘water landing’ about 10.25am.
All passengers were rescued alive by a combined team of the Navy, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and local divers.
A statement by Bristow’s Head of External Communications, Julie King, on Wednesday, said the chopper was on a return flight from an offshore platform in Rivers State.
The statement reads: “Bristow Helicopters (Nigeria) Limited, confirmed today (Wednesday) that one of its helicopters, was involved in a water landing near Lagos at about 10.25am local time on return from an offshore platform. The aircraft, a Sikorsky S-76C++, had departed on a routine crew transfer flight offshore with nine passengers and a crew of two.
“All persons onboard are accounted for and in the process of being transferred to a nearby installation. The company is in the process of collecting pertinent information and will release more details as soon as it is available.”
Freedom Online learned that the chopper crashed about 100 nautical miles from Lagos with 11 persons on board due to a technical fault.
Said a source: “When the pilot realised that there was a technical fault with the chopper, he made a quick decision to ditch the aircraft into the ocean, an intuition that saved everybody”.
NEMA spokesman, Ibrahim Fariloye, also confirmed that all the passengers and crew members were rescued.
Spokesman of the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Tunji Oketunbi, said in a statement: “A S76 C++ helicopter marked 5N-BQJ belonging to Bristow Helicopters, which departed ERHA Platform enroute Lagos was ditched into the Atlantic Ocean 95 nautical miles into destination at about 10:20 am local time.
“All the eleven passengers on board including two crew members were rescued alive. Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) has commenced investigation into the occurrence. Details will be communicated to you later.”