Late Herbert Wigwe, wife and Abimbola Ogunbanjo. Photo Credit: Google
Family of Late Nigerian Exchange Group Chairman Sues US Helicopter Company Over Fatal Crash
The family of the late former Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, who perished in a Southern California helicopter crash in February, filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against the US helicopter company.
Former Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings, Dr. Herbert Wigwe, his wife, and son were also aboard the ill-fated helicopter.
The Ogunbanjo family asserted that the flight should have been canceled due to hazardous weather conditions.
In February, Wigwe, his wife, and his son lost their lives in a helicopter crash in California near the Nevada border, United States of America. According to the Press Enterprise, relatives of Ogunbanjo claimed in the court filing on Wednesday that the charter company, Orbic Air, improperly operated the helicopter despite “wintry mix” conditions of snow and rain in the Mojave Desert where the crash occurred on Feb. 9.
One of the attorneys involved in the lawsuit, Andrew C. Robb, stated that Ogunbanjo’s family seeks “answers and accountability.”
“Helicopters do not perform well in snow and ice,” Robb told The Associated Press. “This flight was entirely preventable, and we don’t know why they took off,” he added.
Ogunbanjo’s wife and two children have filed a lawsuit in San Bernardino County Superior Court against Orbic Air and its CEO, Brady Bowers, alleging wrongful death and negligence.
The lawsuit also names the unidentified successors of Pettingill and Hansen, whom Ogunbanjo’s family holds responsible. Orbic Air has not provided any comment on the matter.
The National Transportation Safety Board is presently investigating the crash.
A preliminary investigation report released by the agency in February disclosed details about the helicopter’s flight path and wreckage.
Witnesses reported observing a “fireball” during rainy and snowy conditions at the time of the crash.
The lawsuit seeks a jury trial for Ogunbanjo’s burial expenses, funeral expenses, and other damages. Robb & Robb, the law firm representing Ogunbanjo’s family, previously represented Vanessa Bryant in her lawsuit following Kobe Bryant’s fatal helicopter crash in 2020.
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