The family of the late former Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, who tragically died in a helicopter crash in California in February 2024, has filed a lawsuit against the US helicopter company involved.
Alongside Ogunbanjo, the former Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings, Dr. Herbert Wigwe, his wife, and son were also onboard the ill-fated helicopter that crashed in California near the Nevada border, United States of America.
The Ogunbanjo family, in their court filing on Wednesday, April 10, stated that the flight should have been grounded due to "treacherous weather." They claimed that the charter company, Orbic Air, improperly flew the helicopter despite snowy and rainy conditions in the Mojave Desert where the crash occurred on Feb. 9.
Andrew C. Robb, one of the attorneys who filed the lawsuit, stated that Ogunbanjo's family is seeking "answers and accountability," emphasizing that "helicopters do not do very well in snow and ice."
The lawsuit, filed in San Bernardino County Superior Court against Orbic Air and its CEO, Brady Bowers, alleges wrongful death and negligence. It also includes the unidentified successors of Pettingill and Hansen, whom Ogunbanjo's family holds responsible. Orbic Air has not commented on the matter.
The National Transportation Safety Board is currently investigating the crash. A preliminary investigation report released by the agency in February revealed details about the helicopter's flight path and wreckage, noting that 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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