California, Feb 11 (AP) The CEO of one of Nigeria’s largest banks, Access Bank, was tragically killed on Friday in a helicopter crash in the Mojave Desert in Southern California. Herbert Wigwe was among six individuals aboard the helicopter which crashed shortly after 10 pm. The death of the prominent banking figure was confirmed by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director general of the World Trade Organization and formerly Nigeria’s finance minister, in a post on social media platform X.
The helicopter, identified as a Eurocopter EC 120, crashed east of Interstate 15 near Halloran Springs Road, close to the California-Nevada border and approximately 128.75 kilometers from Las Vegas. Officials from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that six people were onboard the ill-fated aircraft. The FAA, in conjunction with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), will be conducting an investigation into the crash. The NTSB stated that their team of investigators will arrive on-site on Saturday to begin collecting information.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department reported that no survivors were found at the crash site, although they provided no further details. The circumstances leading to the crash remain uncertain.
According to KABC-TV, the helicopter departed from Palm Springs Airport at around 8:45 pm and was en route to Boulder City, Nevada, located approximately 41 kilometers southeast of Las Vegas. This incident occurred just days before the highly anticipated Super Bowl LVIII game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers.
Halloran Springs Road, where the crash took place, passes over Interstate 15 in a remote area of the Mojave Desert. The area is known for its abandoned gas station marked with a sign reading Lo Gas and Eat. This region experiences an elevation of nearly 3,000 feet and is characterized by its secluded location. Logs from the California Highway Patrol indicate that there was rainfall and snowfall in the area at the time of the crash.
This tragic event follows closely on the heels of another helicopter accident earlier this week. On Tuesday, during heavy rains, a US Marine Corps helicopter crashed in the mountains outside San Diego, resulting in the loss of five Marines’ lives.
The death of Herbert Wigwe leaves a significant void in Nigeria’s banking sector and sends shockwaves throughout the global financial community. Nigerian authorities, as well as the international banking community, mourn the loss of this influential figure whose contributions to the industry were widely recognized and respected.
