Bristow Helicopters Sikorsky S-76C++ model
Pix Courtesy: starconnect.com.ng
As experts and stakeholders continues to question the frequency of Bristow Helicopters crashes ,checks by AbelNews has revealed that the recent Bristow Helicopters Sikorsky S – 76C++ crash on February 3,2016 was first flown in United States and United Kingdom before the accident chopper was acquired by the Nigeria arm of Bristow.
The helicopter which has been operated for less than three years by Bristow Nigeria investigations had also operated in US for over three years and flown in the UK for another three years before it was acquired.
Further checks indicated that while operating in the US, the helicopter was marked N76TZ with Bristow US and flew from May 2007 to November 2010 and in the United Kingdom, the chopper carried the registration number G-CGRU and operated in Britain by Bristow UK from November 2010 to April 2013.
Checks also revealed that the helicopter was acquired by Bristow Nigeria in April 2013 and had been in its r fleet of choppers before the ill-fated accident.
It was first seen flying in Nigeria on September 28, 2013 at an oil rig and subsequently been on duty for the company.
Recalled that Bristow Helicopters chopper Sikorsky S76 C++ ditched into the Atlantic Ocean on February 3, 2016, six months after another Bristow chopper with 12 people on board crashed at the Oworoshoki end of the Lagos Lagoon killing six while six others survived
However, in the February 3, 2016, accident all the persons on board made up of nine passengers and two crew survived, when the helicopter ditched into the Atlantic Ocean.