The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) announced the suspension of Bristow Helicopters Limited’s Sikorsky S-76C++ type helicopter until further notice. The suspension is a result of a crash in Lagos, of a helicopter belonging to Bristow Helicopter Ltd on Wednesday. The Director-General of the NCAA, Captain Muhtar Usman, said that the suspension was necessary to enable the authorities to carry out a full-scale audit on Bristow’s operations with particular emphasis on its Sikorsky S-76C++ type aircraft.
He said that an investigation was necessary because Bristow had recorded many accidents in Nigeria, many of which  involved the same aircraft type.Usman said that as a responsible regulatory authority, it was important to get to the root of the problem and ensure the airline operates safely.He added that suspension of Bristow operations was not new to the industry, and is in accordance with standard operating procedures, worldwide. He said that the suspension should not be viewed as a vote of no confidence on the airline. It should be seen as a way to ascertain the adequacy and the propriety of the operating aircraft.The Sikorsky helicopter was the one that led to one of the company’s most tragic accidents on August 12, 2015, that claimed six people, the pilot and the co-pilot included.
 

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