Pan-African financial group, Access Corporation, owners of Access Bank Plc, in the wee hours of this Sunday, February 11, 2024, broke its silence on the plane crash that reportedly killed its Chief Operating Officer, Mr, Herbert Wigwe, and his family in the United States of America (USA).

Wigwe was also founder of the wave-making Wigwe University that just began operations.

An e-mail from Access Corporation to stakeholders entitled “IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT”, arrived at 1:28 AM.

It reads: “We have received numerous inquiries concerning an airplane crash in the USA.

“Presently, we lack specific information; however, we are actively cooperating with US authorities who will furnish updates.

“Your understanding and support are valued, and we commit to keeping you informed promptly as we receive updates on the situation.”

As reported Saturday evening by News Express, the names of Wigwe, his wife Chizoba and their two children have been confirmed to be on the manifest of the chopper that crashed Friday night (USA Time) in California, United States.

Another name on the manifest is that of their friend, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, former Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group).

All are believed to have died along with the pilot, although their remains have yet to be found.

The chopper was conveying the team from Los Angeles to Las Vegas to watch the Superbowl but crashed Friday night near Nipton, between Nevada and California.

United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in a statement confirmed all onboard are dead.

FAA said no survivors had been found as of Saturday.

“We were made aware of a downed aircraft at approximately 10:12 p.m., on February 10, 2024. The scene of the crash was determined to be east of the 15-Freeway, near Halloran Springs Road,” the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement.

The FAA identified the helicopter as a Eurocopter EC 130.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the crash at the time of filing this report.

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