Federal Investigators Probe Fatal Helicopter Crash in the Californian Desert

Federal investigators have arrived at the scene of a tragic helicopter crash that occurred in the desert, approximately 75 miles northeast of Barstow. The crash claimed the lives of six individuals, including an executive of a Nigerian bank, his wife and son, and the former chair of the Nigerian Exchange Group.

According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Member Michael Graham, the incident happened at approximately 10:08 p.m. on Friday, just east of Interstate 15 near Halloran Springs Road.

The ill-fated flight involved an Airbus Eurocopter EC130 helicopter that had taken off from Palm Springs at 8:45 p.m., with its destination set for Boulder City, Nevada. The helicopter was chartered from Burbank-based Orbit Air, LLC.

Graham stated that the federal investigation process has only just commenced and is expected to be extensive. Investigators will begin by collecting perishable evidence from the crash site, and it is anticipated that the probe will take anywhere between 12 to 24 months to complete.

The passengers on board the helicopter have been identified as 57-year-old Dr. Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe, the Group CEO of Nigeria-based Access Bank, along with his wife and son. Additionally, Abimbola Ogunbanjoa, a former chair of the Nigerian Exchange Group, was also among the victims. The identities of the pilot and co-pilot have not yet been disclosed.

The NTSB is planning to investigate reports of downed power lines in the vicinity, as well as witness accounts of rain and “wintery mist” during the time of the crash, as reported by the media.

Eye witnesses have mentioned seeing fire in the area where the crash occurred, further intensifying the tragedy.

“May the souls of the departed rest in perfect peace,” tweeted Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General of the World Trade Organization. “My deepest sympathies and condolences to the Wigwe family, the Ogunbanjo family, Access Bank Group employees and Management.”

Expressing his grief, Godwin Obaseki, the Governor of Edo State in Nigeria, stated, “The news of the passing of Dr. Herbert Wigwe, the Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank Holdings, who died in a helicopter crash in the United States of America, has left me extremely shocked and devastated.”

Obaseki continued, “We also unfortunately lost Wigwe’s wife and son, as well as the former Chairman of the Nigeria Stock Exchange, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, in the crash. Wigwe was a colossus in Nigeria’s financial sector, leading Access Bank to become an internationally recognized brand that elevated Nigeria’s standing in the global financial services landscape. The tragic incident is painful and heart-wrenching, and we pray for God’s abiding comfort in this profoundly difficult time.”