The delay in the official release
of the names contained in the
manifest of the ill-fated
helicopter that crashed into
Lagos lagoon on Wednesday has
been attributed to the need to
get consent of the deceased
families.
A management source from the
Bristow Helicopters Ltd, owners
of the crashed helicopter, told
the News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN) on the condition of
anonymity, on Saturday in
Lagos, that the airline was still
contacting the victims’ families.
He said their client, SEDCO oil
platform offshore, was still
contacting the victims’ families
and would approve the release
of the victims’ names in few
days.
“We cannot release the victims’
names without the consent of
our client, SEDCO Oil, which is
still in regular contact with
families of the victims,” he said.
According to him, the
withholding of the names was in
accordance with International
Civil Aviation Organisation
(ICAO) Annex 13.
He said also the airline and the
accident investigators lack the
capacity to disclose the names
on the manifest.
The source, however, called on
the public to exercise patience
with the airline and appropriate
authorities in releasing the
manifest.
“Even though we have submitted
the manifest to the Accident
Investigation Bureau (AIB), we
will still have to give them the
matching order to release it
with the consent of the victims’
families.
“You and I know that Bristow
would have been ordered to
release the manifest because of
the investigation the bureau is
carrying out and it is something they ought
to have because of the nature of their job
they are doing at the moment,” he said.
Felix Abali, the AIB Commissioner, had said
on Friday that the bureau did not have the
power to make the victims’ names public
until the airline contacted the victims’
families.
Mr. Abali said he was in touch with the
airline and would make the names public
immediately he received the nod from the
airline.
He said aviation protocol must be observed
before the manifest would be released.
“The families must be briefed first. It is the
responsibility of the airlines to release the
manifest, they have to contact the families
first before they release it to the public,” he
said.
The Sikosky 76 helicopter marked 5N-BGD
crashed into the Lagos lagoon as it
approached Murtala Muhammed Airport, in
Ikeja.
Six of the 12 passengers on board in the
helicopter died while six others were
rescued and taken to hospital.

Source: Www.premiumtimesng.com

H

it that a standard procedure?, i tot the next thing after the crash na to release manifest.