By Abiola Olawale
The family of the late Abimbola Ogunbanjo, former Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group, has brought a lawsuit against a US-based helicopter company.
The suit, filed on Wednesday, relates to the tragic helicopter crash that occurred in Southern California in February which resulted in the death of Mr. Ogunbanjo, the former Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings, Dr Herbert Wigwe, his wife and son who were also onboard the ill-fated helicopter.
Ogunbanjo’s wife and two children filed the lawsuit in San Bernardino County Superior Court against Orbic Air and its CEO, Brady Bowers, alleging wrongful death and negligence.
The suit also includes the unidentified successors of Pettingill and Hansen, whom Ogunbanjo’s family holds responsible.
In the lawsuit, the Ogunbanjo family argued that the flight should have been grounded because of treacherous weather.
The family in the court filing on Wednesday claimed that the charter company, Orbic Air, improperly flew the helicopter despite a “wintry mix” of snowy and rainy conditions in the Mojave Desert where the crash occurred on Feb. 9.
One of the attorneys who filed the lawsuit, Andrew C. Robb, noted Ogunbanjo’s family is seeking “answers and accountability.”
“Helicopters do not do very well in snow and ice,” Robb told The Associated Press.
“This flight was entirely preventable, and we don’t know why they took off,” He added.
