A helicopter carrying six people, including the co-founder of Nigeria’s biggest bank by assets, crashed in a Southern California desert near the Mojave National Preserve, authorities said.

Herbert Wigwe, 57, co-founder of Access Bank, was among the victims, family members from his home village of Isiokpo said.

According to reports from local media, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, the former Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group, was among those who tragically perished in the crash.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department specified that the crash site was located to the east of the 15-Freeway, close to Halloran Springs Road, and confirmed that there were no survivors found as of Saturday.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) identified the aircraft involved as a Eurocopter EC 130 and announced plans for a joint investigation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

Multiple sources reported that the helicopter was en route to Las Vegas when it crashed near a border city between Nevada and California.

Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM