4 killed as helicopter crashes into Lagos lagoon

At least four people were killed and six wounded when a helicopter returning from an oil rig plunged into a lagoon in Nigeria's commercial hub Lagos Wednesday.

The Sikorsky helicopter, operated by the US-based Bristow Group, came down behind a police station in the Oworonshoki area in the city's north, according to the National Emergency Management Agency. Two people were still missing.

"Four dead bodies (have been) recovered so far," said NEMA spokesman Ibrahim Farinloye, adding that the wounded had been taken to two hospitals and their condition was not immediately clear.

Emergency services were scouring the lagoon for two people who remained missing, NEMA said.

A witness told Channels TV news station the helicopter made a loud noise before nose-diving into the water near the 12-kilometre (seven-mile) Third Mainland Bridge, the longest of three bridges connecting Lagos Island to the mainland.

Texas-based Bristow's fleet of around 500 helicopters services the global energy industry and it has transportation operations in Nigeria and most other major offshore oil and gas producing regions of the world.

The company released a statement confirming the crash and saying the helicopter had been on approach to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

"The aircraft, a Sikorsky S-76C+, was returning from a drilling rig offshore. Preliminary information indicates that the aircraft carried 10 passengers and a crew of two, subject to confirmation," the statement said.

It said the firm had mobilised its incident response team and was "fully cooperating" with local authorities involved in the rescue effort.

"Our thoughts are with those affected by this accident," Bristow's Africa director Duncan Moore was quoted as saying.

"Our highest priority is to take care of our crew and clients and their family members and provide them with any assistance needed."

There have been several military helicopter accidents across Nigeria in recent years, but air crashes involving private choppers have been relatively rare.

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