Access Bank wrote in a post, ”Today, we bid farewell to a visionary leader, Herbert Wigwe, whose passion and unwavering commitment to excellence transformed Access into a global powerhouse. His legacy of excellence and compassion will continue to inspire us all. Rest in peace, Herbert Wigwe. Your impact will forever be felt.”
Herbert Wigwe, the co-founder of Access Bank and the founder of Wigwe University, reportedly died in a helicopter crash in California, in the United States.
Wigwe was also the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Access Holdings, the parent company of Access Bank.
The Daily Post in Nigeria said Access Bank founder Herbert Wigwe was reportedly on board the chopper with his wife, son, and three other passengers.
The chopper was headed to Las Vegas when it crashed near a border city between Nevada and California on Friday night [Feb 9], 2024.
The US government confirmed all on board dead, as no survivors had been located as of Saturday morning.
The helicopter was carrying six people when it crashed on Friday night near the California–Nevada border.
The United States Federal Aviation Administration said that the Eurocopter EC130 helicopter crashed around 10:00 p.m. local time near Nipton, California, an unincorporated community about 60 miles south of Las Vegas in eastern San Bernardino County.
According to Mara Rodriguez, a public information officer with the department, officials at the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department were made aware of the downed aircraft at 10:12 p.m. local time.
She added that the scene of the crash was determined to be east of Interstate 15, near Halloran Springs Road.
Helicopter carrying six people crashes in California desert near Las Vegas
In a separate development, the USA today reports that a helicopter carrying six people crashed in a Southern California desert late Friday, the latest in a number of high-profile aviation disasters in the U.S.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed Saturday that together with the National Transportation Safety Board, they were investigating a Eurocopter EC 130 helicopter that crashed around 10 p.m. Friday near Nipton, California.
San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department officials told KABC-TV that they have not been able to locate any survivors and that the cause of the crash is unknown.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department didn’t immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment.
Nipton is located near the California-Nevada border, near Las Vegas.
The crash follows two deadly aviation disasters in recent days.
