POOR visibility and bad terrain were among major problems that reportedly accounted for the crash of the helicopter at the topmost hill of the Government Reserve Forest in Ife-Odan boundary between Ola-Oluwa and Ejigbo Local Government Councils of Osun State on Friday.
The ill-fated helicopter piloted by a Whiteman, identified as Cartemco, also had on board another woman said to be a Personal Assistant of Rev. Kuteji, Mrs Adedoyin.
The remains of the victims had been collected by the husband to the CEO and taken to Lagos.
When The Guardian visited the scene of the incident yesterday, it was gathered that the crash occurred at about 9.45am on Friday but the ash colour helicopter, with blue strip and number — ASET 350 — could not be seen by the rescued team until 1.00 am on Saturday.
The body of the Pilot, according to officials of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other rescue teams, hung on the topmost tree on the hill, about 2,500 feet above sea level.
Osun State Police Commissioner, Mr. Solomon Olusegun, said it took the combined efforts of security operatives, local vigilante, Osun State Youth Volunteers Corps (OYES) and community people to recover the corpses of the victims and their personal belongings.
Also, the Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, Abuja Operations, Mr. Ishaya Isah Choloko, explained that the condition of weather and terrain of the area might been largely responsible for the accident, which claimed three lives instantly.
According to him, it took the rescue teams over two hours to locate the scene of the accident, adding that the teams were able to bring down the corpses with the assistance of villagers.
Chairman, Osun State Emergency Management Agency (OSEMA), Mr. Segun Ajayi said that the difficulties in getting to the scene of the accident affected the rescue teams.
He said the rescue team was able to get across to their relations through their identity cards and other items found at the scene of the crash.
The remains of the three occupants of the aircraft were recovered through a combined efforts of the Police, Immigration, NEMA, OSEMA, Emergency Volunteers, Chairman, Ola-Oluwa Local Government and his team, Chairman, Ejigbo Local Government and his team, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Fire Services from both Oyo and Osun, Community hunters, and Osun Youth Volunteers, among others.
In a swift reaction, Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, expressed deep regret on the unfortunate incident in Ikonifin area of Ola-Oluwa Local Government Area of the state.
"The governor wishes to commiserate with the families of the deceased, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the entire country over this sad development. The Governor prays for the families of the deceased for the fortitude to bear the losses, the statement said.
A statement signed by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Semiu Okanlawon, noted that Governor Aregbesola had directed all concerned agencies to act fast.
The Guardian