Bayelsa chopper crash: Presidency, Navy set up probe teams

The Presidency and the Nigerian Navy have set up teams to probe the cause (s) of the crash of a Naval helicopter on Saturday in Bayelsa State.
The constitution of the presidential investigation team, which is already in Bayelsa State, was made known on Monday by the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba.
Ezeoba, at a meeting with the Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Seriake Dickson, said the Federal Government has directed the team to carry out a through probe of the crash.
The CNS said despite the loss of prominent Nigerians and some of the finest military hands in the crash, Nigerians should not despair but remain united.
He said that all necessary steps would be taken to unravel the problems that led to the accident.
Dickson, who described the accident as a monumental tragedy, promised that his administration would support the investigation.
He praised Ezeoba and his team for the prompt response.
In Abuja, the Nigerian Navy announced the constitution of a board to unravel the remote and immediate causes of the crash.
The Nigerian Navy Chief of Training and Operations, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogbor, announced the constitution of the board on Monday.
Ogbor said that the members, who are aircraft investigation specialists, are drawn from Agusta Westland, the manufacturer of the ill-fated aircraft, and other aviation regulatory agencies as provided by extant regulations.
Ogbor said that some components of the helicopter that could assist the board to carry out its investigation had been recovered.
He said: “It is expected that the board will come out with the remote and immediate causes of the accident with far reaching recommendations that will forestall future occurrence.”