NCAA: Aviation authority suspends Bristow’s Sikorsky S-76C helicopters

Following persistent accidents, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has suspended the Bristow Helicopters Limited’s Sikorsky S-76C type of aircraft from flying in the country.

This was announced a day after Bristow Helicopters’ controlled ditching of one of its aircraft on Wednesday.

Investigations are still being conducted concerning the helicopter crash.

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The Director-General, NCAA, Capt. Muhtar Usman, while addressing journalists in Lagos on Thursday, said the suspension was to enable the agency to carry out full-scale audit on Bristow operations with particular emphasis on its Sikorsky S-76C family of aircraft.

According to Usman, “The suspension is not to pass a vote of no confidence in the helicopter services company. It is to ascertain the adequacy and propriety of the operating aircraft type. This is not new in the industry; it is one of the standard operating procedures all over the world”.

Meanwhile, Bristow Helicopters said it would cooperate with the NCAA and the AIB in their investigations into the cause of the incident.