In the wake of the Port Harcourt helicopter crash, the family of Boris Ledum Ndorbu, one of the crew members onboard, is pleading for authorities to intensify their search efforts to recover his body. The tragic crash took place on October 24, 2024, when an East Wind Aviation helicopter, with registration number 5NBQG, went down shortly after departing from the Port Harcourt NAF Base. Mr. Ndorbu, an NNPCL contractor working for Arion Energy, was one of eight people on board.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has been leading the recovery process, but there’s been confusion surrounding the actual number of bodies found. Initially, NSIB Director General Capt. Alex Badeh reported on Channels TV that five bodies had been retrieved. However, a later statement from NSIB’s Director of Public Affairs, Mrs. Bimbo Oladeji, clarified that only three bodies had been recovered.
This discrepancy has added to the distress for Mr. Ndorbu’s family. His son, Ledum Light, expressed his frustration and heartbreak over the situation. In an interview with Punch on October 27, he said, “My father’s passing is shocking and devastating. We last spoke that morning, and he was in great spirits. Hearing he’s gone without closure is beyond words.”
On the morning of the crash, Light had a brief call with his father. They talked about a delivery Light had sent home, and Mr. Ndorbu confirmed it had arrived. “We spoke early that morning, and he mentioned that he was at the muster point, preparing to head to the naval base for the helicopter flight,” Light recalls. That conversation would be their last, as just hours later, news of the crash would shatter their lives.
Since the initial call from Arion Energy notifying them of the crash, the Ndorbu family says they’ve received few updates. Light mentioned that divers were reportedly deployed to the crash site, but he feels that more resources could help ensure the recovery of his father’s body. The family believes other advanced equipment could be used in conjunction with divers to quicken the search.
With Mr. Ndorbu’s role as a member of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), the family is reaching out to the union and other allied organizations, hoping their involvement might put additional pressure on the recovery efforts.
Mr. Ndorbu’s widow, Mrs. Mbet Ledum, expressed the family’s sorrow, saying all they want is to bring him home, even if it means finding his body. Fighting back tears, she said, “We were devastated when we heard the news. All we want now is to see him, whether he’s alive or not. We need to bring him home and have a proper burial to find some peace.”
She added that the family is in the dark, not knowing what’s happening with the recovery. “We’re constantly waiting, hoping for news. Every day without information feels like an eternity,” she shared. This prolonged waiting has left the family grappling with grief and frustration, amplifying their sense of loss.
The Ndorbu family is urging all relevant agencies, including the NSIB and NUPENG, to use every possible resource to locate Boris Ledum Ndorbu’s body. For them, this isn’t just a request for recovery but a plea for the closure they need to heal. “We just want to see him, to say goodbye,” his son Light said. “This is all that matters to us now, and it’s the only thing that will bring us peace.”
The family’s call to action is a powerful reminder of the emotional toll accidents like these take on loved ones left behind. Their hope is that, with renewed efforts, they may finally have the chance to bring their father, husband, and friend home for a dignified farewell.
