Nigerian Bank CEO Among Six Killed in California Helicopter Crash

Six people, including a prominent Nigerian banker, died in a helicopter crash in California’s Mojave Desert, officials said.

Two crew members and four passengers on board the helicopter were fatally injured, said Michael Graham, of the National Transportation Safety Board, during a news briefing Saturday evening.

Herbert Wigwe, the chief executive of Nigeria’s Access Bank, was among those who died, the bank confirmed.

“Today, we bid farewell to a visionary leader, @HerbertOWigwe, whose passion and unwavering commitment to excellence transformed Access into a global powerhouse,” the bank said on social media.

In addition to Wigwe, the casualties included the banker’s wife and son, according to Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a World Trade Organization official, who posted condolences on social media.

The helicopter departed Palm Springs, Calif., on Friday night around 8:45 p.m., en route to Boulder City, Nev., Graham said. At 10:08 p.m., he said, the helicopter crashed in the Mojave Desert near Halloran Springs, Calif.

“Witness reports of the weather conditions at the time of the accident suggest rain and a wintry mix,” Graham added.

The helicopter didn’t have a cockpit voice recorder or flight data reporter, but neither was required, Graham said.

He said the agency was aware of downed power lines around the accident site, and that officials would look into those reports during its investigation.

Write to Corinne Ramey at [email protected]