Residents of Salvation Road, Opebi, Lagos where a Bell 206 helicopter, with registration number 5N BQW belonging to Quorum Aviation, an air transportation and logistics company, crashed Friday afternoon, have recounted their near-death experience and shock.
The residents, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the scene of the incident, thanked God for saving their lives.
One of the residents, Grace Awolaja, said that she was shocked and surprised to experience such an unexpected incident. She said the helicopter was seen hovering in the sky for some minutes before crashing into the building.
“We thank God that nobody was affected in the building but l learnt that the pilot and two people died,’’ Awolaja said.
Another resident, Saliu Bamidele, suggested that engine seizure might be responsible for the crash. Bamidele said that the helicopter crashed at the back of house No. 16, Salvation Road, damaging two cars and the fence of the building.
Another resident, Mark Okeke, a fabric shop owner in front of the building, said that the helicopter was sighted in the air struggling to crash-land in the canal but “suddenly pick up and faced the building’’.
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He said, “We just heard loud sound with heavy dust from the house. Many occupants of the building were not at home. However, the pilot and three others on board of the helicopter were found dead.”
The Acting coordinator, Lagos territorial office of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ibrahim Farinloye, said the accident occurred while the helicopter was returning from training in Port Harcourt.
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The General Manager, Public Affairs, Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) Tunji Oketunbi , said that the black box of the helicopter has been recovered. He said the device was recovered around 3pm on Friday.
According to him, two people were confirmed dead while another person who sustained injuries was taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, for treatment. He added that investigation had commenced into the incident.
However, latest reports have indicated that the third crew member in the Bell 206 B3 helicopter is dead. The names of two of the three victims were given as Captain Chika Prudence Ernest and Engineer Clement Ndiok.
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