Six persons were slain in a helicopter crash in the Mojave Desert near the California-Nevada border late Friday night, including the CEO of a significant Nigerian bank, his wife, and their kid.
Herbert Wigwe, the chief executive of Access Bank, passed away in the collision, the bank acknowledged in a statement on X.
The disaster claimed the lives of Wigwe’s wife, son, and former group chairman of the Nigeria Stock Exchange, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, according to a post on X by World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
According to the authorities, the two pilots of the helicopter also perished.
Michael Graham, a member of the National Transportation Safety Board, claims that the chartered Airbus EC130 helicopter was traveling from Palm Springs, California, to Boulder City, Nevada, which is located just north of Las Vegas.
The aircraft, flown by the California-based charter business Orbic Air, took off at 8:45 p.m. and crashed close to Interstate 15 in Halloran Springs, California, shortly after 10 p.m., according to Graham.
Graham said, quoting eyewitness accounts, “the helicopter caught fire upon impact.” When the incident occurred, witnesses also reported seeing rain and a wintry mixture, he said.
According to Graham at a press conference, the NTSB is gathering evidence at the crash scene in Halloran Springs, California, on Saturday night while it investigates the cause of the collision.
Graham stated that precipitation was present during the disaster at a press conference held by the NTSB on Sunday. She also mentioned that the helicopter dropped from a height of between 1,000 to 1,500 feet, accelerated, and “impacted the terrain in a nose low and right bank angle.”
All of the aircraft’s main parts were found and identified at the crash scene, which measured 100 yards, according to Graham. He said that on Tuesday, the wreckage will be relocated to a “secure location.”
Though the deceased have not yet been publicly identified by the authorities, condolences have been flowing in for Ogunbanjo and the Wigwe family.
According to a statement issued by his office, Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu described the deaths as “an overwhelming tragedy that is shocking beyond comprehension.”
Godwin Obaseki, the governor of Edo State, Nigeria, expressed his astonishment and devastation, describing the killings as a “irreparable loss.”
“Access Bank became a global brand that put Nigeria on the map of first-class financial services,” said Obaseki in a post on X. “Wigwe was a colossus in Nigeria’s financial sector.”
According to the company website, Wigwe joined Access Bank in 2014 as the Group Managing Director and CEO.
Wigwe was described by the bank as a “visionary leader” with a history of “excellence and compassion.”
Inaccessible to Access Holdings and the communities we serve are Herbert’s innovative leadership and steadfast dedication to social impact projects. His legacy is one that we will always cherish, the bank declared on X.
Investigators returned to the crash scene Sunday to continue documenting the site, including using a drone to create an aerial map of the wreckage. Graham requested that anyone who witnessed the crash contact the NTSB and provide any available photos or video of the incident.
According to Graham, a final report on the probe may not be published for up to two years after the full investigation is completed. However, a preliminary report will be made available in the next few weeks.
Conclusion
The helicopter crash that took the lives of Access Bank CEO Herbert Wigwe, his family, and others is a tragic event that has left a profound impact. As investigations continue, our thoughts are with the victims’ families and loved ones. May they find strength and support during this difficult time.
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