The identities of the six Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited employees who lost their lives in a helicopter crash on Thursday have been disclosed.
The electronic manifest of the flight revealed the names of the workers as Tamunoemi Suku, Alu Lawrence, Etim Emmanuel, Kenneth Chikwem, Frank Oriamre, and Borris Ndorbo. The pilot was identified as Captain Yakubu Dukas, while the eighth person aboard had yet to be identified as of press time.
The helicopter, operated by East Winds Aviation, was transporting contract staff to the FPSO—NUIMS ANTAN facility when it tragically crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. The tragedy occurred off the coast of Bonny Finima in Port Harcourt on Thursday.
In response to the incident, President Bola Tinubu extended condolences to the families of the victims and ordered an intensification of search and rescue operations. Five of the victims have been recovered dead, while the remains of the remaining three occupants are still missing.
Following this disaster, details about five of the victims emerged on social media:
Captain Yakubu Dukas
The National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers expressed profound sorrow over the loss of Dukas, describing him as a seasoned pilot with over 20 years of experience. Dukas also served as the vice president of the union. Relatives and friends shared their grief on social media, with Thandazile Artemis mourning, “Captain Yakubu Dukas, my sweetest Uncle Yaks. This isn’t how it was meant to be.” A Twitter user, @vanniebee, wrote, “Captain Yakubu Dukas! I’m in shock and may never recover from this.”
Tamunoemi Suku
A medical doctor and graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, Suku described himself on Facebook as “gentle and highly principled.” Hailing from Kalabari, Rivers State, he attended Enitona High School in Port Harcourt before pursuing his medical studies. Suku celebrated few events online, with his birthday on November 13 being one of them. He married Laura Emi-Suku, an entrepreneur, on April 18, 2015, and they lived in Port Harcourt. Friends paid tribute to him online, with Charity Eberechukwu Onuh stating, “What a great loss. Oh my God! Rest in Peace.”
Lawrence Alu
Known as “Fly Guy” on Facebook, Alu hailed from Abbi, Rivers State, and resided in Lagos. He studied at the Regional Maritime Academy in Accra, Ghana. His relative, Innocent Ibeyenwo, expressed sorrow over his death on Facebook, saying, “My brother Lawrence Alu, it’s so painful to hear you were among those involved in the helicopter crash. May God grant your family the strength to bear this loss.” Another user, Taiwo Omotuyine, reflected on their time together, stating, “The law is gone; he was my colleague.”
Frank Oriamre
Originally from Edo State, Oriamre had a sparse social media presence, with only two posts: one depicting him in a yellow overall next to a Christmas tree and another featuring colleagues he referred to as part of his production crew.
Borris Ndorbo
A graduate of Rivers State University, Ndorbo lived in Port Harcourt with his wife. He had been employed in the floating production, storage, and offloading sector since August 28, 2023. His last social media post was a selfie taken in a helicopter, captioned, “Good friends. Just something important to remember.”
The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) identified two victims. In a statement on Friday, NUPENG said the men were frontline members of the union, including Comrade Borris Ndorbo, a branch chairman, and Lawrence Alu, a member. NUPENG expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss of eight individuals, including six passengers and two crew members, and offered condolences to the families, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, and Arion Energy Services Ltd.
Similarly, the President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Festival Osifo, mourned members of the union who were involved in the crash, noting that it claimed the lives of four of its members. Osifo expressed sadness over the loss of valued members, acknowledging their dedication to the oil and gas industry and urging a thorough investigation to prevent future tragedies.
The Nigeria Air Management Agency (NAMA) enlisted neighbouring countries such as Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea in the search for the missing helicopter and its occupants. As of the time of the crash on Thursday, eight people were onboard. Three lifeless bodies were initially retrieved from the Atlantic Ocean where the helicopter went down, with two more recovered on Friday, bringing the total to five. Search operations continue as the military, National Emergency Management Agency, and emergency locators jointly carry out recovery efforts.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, confirmed the incident through a statement by Odutayo Oluseyi, the ministry’s Head of Press and Public Relations. Keyamo updated the public on social media, noting that divers were still at work to locate the remaining bodies and wreckage, with a comprehensive press statement to follow once breakthroughs are achieved.
