The US National Transportation Safety Board, investigating the crash, stated witnesses reported rain and a “wintry mix” during the incident. People also witnessed a fire on the helicopter.
Herbert Wigwe, CEO of Access Bank, and his family, alongside other passengers, including Bamofin Abimbola Ogunbanjo, former chair of NGX Group, lost their lives in the crash.
Prominent Figures Mourn
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former Nigerian finance minister and current director-general of the World Trade Organisation, confirmed the deaths, expressing deep sorrow: “Terribly saddened by the news of the terrible loss of Herbert Wigwe… his wife and son as well as Bimbo Ogunbanjo in a helicopter crash.”
Wigwe, a prominent figure in Nigeria’s banking sector, was known for his vision and leadership. His death is described as “a terrible blow” for Nigeria and Africa’s banking industry by Nigerian presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga.
Wigwe’s influence extended beyond banking into education, with plans for a private university. His death left many, including Nigeria’s minister of aviation and aerospace development, Festus Keyamo, in shock: “This is surreal and I am lost for words.”
Details of the Flight and Surrounding Circumstances
The Airbus EC-130 departed Palm Springs Airport for Boulder City, Nevada. The crash occurred near Interstate 15, close to the California-Nevada border. Witnesses reported rain and a “wintry mix,” alongside a fire on the helicopter and downed power lines.
The crash happened just days after a US Marine Corps helicopter incident in San Diego, which claimed five lives during heavy rainfall.
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