Helicopter crash in Mojave desert kills all 6 aboard days after 5 marines die in chopper mishap
MOJAVE DESERT, CALIFORNIA-NEVADA BORDER: A helicopter crash near the California-Nevada border Friday night, February 9, has claimed the lives of six passengers, including two prominent Nigerian business figures.
The Eurocopter EC 130 went down around 10 pm in rainy weather east of the 15 Freeway, according to authorities. The tragedy comes just days after a Marine Corps helicopter accident in Southern California killed all five crew members, as per New York Post.
Co-founder of Nigeria's largest bank among 6 killed in helicopter crash in California
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said no survivors have been located at the crash site as of Saturday afternoon, February 10. Authorities had earlier reported the chopper was heading to Boulder City, Nevada, about 25 miles outside Las Vegas.
Those on board included Herbert Wigwe, co-founder of Access Bank, Nigeria's largest bank, as well as former Nigerian Stock Exchange president Abimbola Ogunbanjo, according to reports.
The identities of the four other victims have not been released. Wigwe and Ogunbanjo were said to be scouting real estate investment opportunities in the American southwest. The helicopter was registered to a tour company called Orbic Air based in the Burbank area near Los Angeles.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will be investigating the cause of the crash. NTSB investigators are expected to arrive at the remote crash site on Sunday, February 11, to document evidence and recover the downed aircraft.
Friday's tragedy comes on the heels of another deadly helicopter accident in California. Just Tuesday, February 6, five US Marines were killed when their aircraft went down during a training flight in Pine Valley, east of San Diego.
Internet reacts to tragic crash
The crash near the California-Nevada border shocked the online community. One Facebook user lamented, "American helicopters are flying coffins."
Another comment reflected a blend of frustration and resignation, stating, "Helicopters are flying coffins. But rich people gonna rich, I guess." A third user expressed concern with a succinct, "2nd Crash in a week."
Emotions escalated as another individual simply stated, "Heartbreaking." A fifth user wrote, "This is terrible." Another questioned the unsettling pattern, stating, "And…today is another day with another helicopter crash! What is going on with this?"
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.
