A Nigerian pilot, Captain Abimbola Jaiyeola is being praised for saving 13 passengers and landing an helicopter on water.

Her story was shared by Michael Akinde, on how Abimbola Jaiyeola, successfully maneuvered an helicopter and landed on water to save 13 passengers on board – This action saved the helicopter from crashing and killing all the passengers on it.

“Meet this Nigerian hero and first helicopter female captain named Abimbola Jaiyeola who shocked many during the course of her duty,” he posted on LinkedIn.

“Abimbola Jaiyeola, in December 2014, became the first female captain to pilot a helicopter in Nigeria, flying the Sikorsky S76 for Bristow Helicopters Nigeria.”

“Two years after becoming a pilot, she prevented the death of 13 passengers from Port-Harcourt to Lagos after her chopper developed a fault.”

“She declared an emergency and tried to land the plane but decided at the last minute to ditch into the Atlantic Ocean.”

“Ditching is knowingly making a controlled emergency landing on water.”

“She had to use the flotation gear in the landing, to prevent the helicopter from sinking and absorbing impact pressure.”

“Although some of the passenger suffered degrees of injuries, but no life was lost.”

A chopper with a team arrived at the crash scene around 11.50 am on the day and started a rescue operation with all the passengers already wearing their life jackets.

MV-DIJAMA launched its ‘Fast Rescue Boat’ immediately and started receiving the casualties from the chopper’s LifeRafts.

The accident happened 70 nautical miles off Lagos.

Captain Abimbola Jaiyeola, is an indigene of Ogun State, who graduated from Bristow Academy in 2008 and then moved to Florida and furthered her training.

After the heroic action, she was celebrated on the news and still celebrated till date as long as history is involved.