The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) published its final report on Sunday, 10 October 2021, into the 2019 ditching of a Bristow Helicopters aircraft in open water off Nigeria's coast, an incident from which all occupants were rescued without serious injury.
Investigators found that a mechanical failure in a critical rotor component had forced the pilots to carry out a controlled ditching after losing engine power over water while en route to an offshore oil platform. The report credited the crew's response and the aircraft's flotation equipment with preventing any loss of life.
Recommendations for the Offshore Fleet
The NSIB recommended that operators of the affected helicopter type shorten the inspection interval for the failed component and that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority mandate the change across all operators flying similar aircraft on offshore support routes.
Bristow Helicopters Nigeria said it had already implemented interim inspection measures ahead of the report's publication and welcomed the NSIB's findings, adding that offshore helicopter safety remained the company's highest operational priority.
