The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) on Thursday said that it is yet to recover the flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR), otherwise known as black boxes from the wreckage of the Bristow Helicopter that crashed into Lagos Lagoon on Wednesday.
The chopper was returning from an offshore oil platform belonging to Sedco.
The commissioner of the AIB, Dr Felix Abali who stated this on Thursday said the investigators of the accident have engaged construction giant: Julius Berger Nigeria Limited to assist with the recovery of the equipment- CVR and FDR, which are vital for investigation.
He said though the AIB has a copy of the passenger manifest, but it must observe international protocols of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) before releasing the passenger manifest
Abali said it would be wrong to release the passenger manifest without seeking the understanding of the families of the victims of the crash who are currently mourning their beloved ones.
He said very soon the AIB will release a preliminary accident report subject to the pace of its investigations.
He said the AIB has already collected the transcript of conversation between the pilots of the ill- fated chopper and the control tower of the Lagos Airport.
He clarified that the chopper had 12 people on board that it was carrying the number of passengers prescribed by its manufacturers.
He said the number of passengers that were on board will contribute significantly to the accident investigation.
He said: “We have a copy of the manifest, but a lot of protocol is involved to release to the public. We have to inform the families involved in line with standard international procedures.
“It would be nice to know the passenger capacity of the helicopter, but it does not contribute to the accident in any way. The investigation will reveal all that.
“We have removed the main part of the chopper from the lagoon, but the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder were not detached. We have to engage Julius Berger to continue to search for the black boxes.
“AIB is considering all evidence, and we intend to synchronize all parameters. We have collected the tapes of the last conversation with air traffic controllers. The preliminary report of the accident will be released very soon. It is the responsibility of the airline to release the manifest of the passengers .”
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