How Wigwe’s SA Olusola escaped death in US helicopter crash

How Wigwe’s SA Olusola escaped death in US helicopter crash

Faleye Olusola, Special Assistant to Co-founder and Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, Herbert Wigwe, escaped death miraculously in the US helicopter that crashed, killing his boss.

Olusola whose name was on the flight manifest decided last minute not to board the ill-fated helicopter that killed Wigwe, his wife and son.

He was said to have opted to travel by road from Palm Springs to Boulder City in Nevada, saying he would not take a flight by night due to the weather.

Olushola had flown with Wigwe, his wife, son and former Group Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group), Abimbola Ogunbanjo, from London to Palm Spring in California, United States.

But on getting to Palm Spring, he declined to board the ill-fated flight.

Macron, Okonjo-Iweala, Atiku, others mourn

Meanwhile, many prominent leaders have sent condolences to the family of the deceased.

In their separate messages, French President, Macron; former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; Director General of WTO, Okonjo-Iweala; Edo State Governor, Obaseki; Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo; Senator Orji Uzor Kalu; and Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, have expressed sadness over the incident.

In his condolence message sent on X, President Macron said France had lost a friend with the death of Wigwe.

The French president said, “France has lost a friend, Herbert Wigwe, President of the French Nigeria Business Council. A humanistic and talented entrepreneur.

“He tirelessly worked to strengthen the relationship between our two countries. Our heartfelt thoughts go to his family and loved ones.”

Atiku, in a tweet on his X handle last night, described the incident as unfortunate.

Okonjo-Iweala wrote that she was “terribly saddened by the news of the terrible loss of Herbert Wigwe … his wife and son as well as Bimbo Ogunbanjo in a helicopter crash.

“May the souls of the departed rest in perfect peace,”

The US government confirmed that all on board the chopper died.

Last night, New York Times quoted US authorities as saying that a helicopter carrying six people crashed on Friday night near the California-Nevada border, about 60 miles south of Las Vegas, and that no survivors had been located as of yesterday morning.