Six people are dead after a helicopter crashed in California on Friday, killing the CEO of a Nigerian bank, his family and two pilots.
The aircraft, an Airbus EC130, was making its way from Palm Springs, California to Boulder City, Nevada, just outside of Las Vegas, where the Super Bowl is being held on Sunday. It crashed near Baker, California around 10pm, the San Bernadino County Sheriff’s Department said.
Witnesses said they could see fire coming from the aircraft after it made contact with the desert terrain, close to Interstate 15 in Halloran Springs, California.
The President of Nigeria, Bold Ahmed Tinbu, confirmed the deaths of Herbert Wigwe, the CEO of Access Holdings, his wife, Chizoba Wigwe and their son Chizi Wigwe.
Abimbola Ogunbanjo, the former group chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, was also on board the helicopter.
“This passing is an overwhelming tragedy that is shocking beyond comprehension,” the president said. “I pray for the peaceful repose of the departed.”
Michael Graham, a board member of the National Transportation Safety Board, said the aircraft had departed California around 8.45pm and that there were no survivors of the incident. The helicopter used belongs to Burbank-based tour company called Orbic Air.
It’s believed that the helicopter was rented from the company.
During a Saturday news conference, Mr Graham said that the weather at the time of the accident suggested rain and a “wintery mix”. He added that officials would be on scene over the weekend to gather perishable evidence.
A preliminary report into the accident would be available in a couple of weeks, while a full investigation could take up to two years. Officials will examine the aircraft’s level of airworthiness, including maintenance, operations, meteorology and air traffic control.
“I’d like to express our deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in this terrible tragedy,” Mr Graham said.
The Federal Aviation Administration is also investigating the incident.
According to CNN, more than 1,000 private jets are expected to fly into the Las Vegas area for the superbowl at Allegiant Stadium.
A waterfront mansion on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe just sold for $46 million, less than three weeks after hitting the market.
The speedy deal marks a departure from the typical U.S. market.
Nationwide, homes took a median 78 days to land a buyer in January, five more than the same time last year and the 22nd straight month of homes taking longer to sell on a year-over-year basis, according to data from Realtor.com.
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The lavish log cabin-like residence, in Incline Village, listed on Jan. 24 for $47.5 million. It sold 20 days later, on Feb. 13, listing records show.
The more than 7,000-square-foot residence was built in 2014, and has double-height living spaces, walls of windows, beamed ceilings, fireplaces, and plenty of rustic exposed stone and wood, listing images show.
There’s also a gym, a wet bar, a spa, a wine room, an office, two separate game rooms, seven bedrooms and dramatic Lake Tahoe views. Outside, there’s a private sandy beach, multiple decks, a heated driveway and two exterior fireplaces, according to listing information.
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The seller and the buyer are both limited liability companies, according to property records. Both parties were represented by Jeff Brown of Tahoe Mountain Realty, who declined to comment on the deal.
The median home price in Incline Village was $1.595 million as of December, a fall of 3.3% from a year earlier, according to data from Realtor.com. Listings, meanwhile, spent an average of 130 days on the market.
Updated February 26, 2026 – 8:28 pm
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Green Valley’s softball team claimed an 8-6 win at Liberty on Thursday on the first day of high school spring sports competition in Nevada.
Green Valley next hosts Silverado at 3 p.m. Friday. Liberty plays at Bishop Gorman at 3 p.m. Friday.
Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.
LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A deadly crash involving a semi tractor-trailer and a tow truck has closed US-95 in both directions at mile marker 73 in Nye County, the Nevada Highway Patrol said Thursday.
NHP responded to the crash at approximately 2:16 a.m. on Feb. 26, 2026.
Details about the crash were not immediately available, but both drivers were confirmed dead at the scene.
Both northbound and southbound travel lanes on US-95 at mile marker 73 remain closed as of the initial report. The closure is located approximately 13 miles north of Beatty, Nevada.
Drivers headed northbound are advised to take US-93 through Alamo, Nevada, then Highway 318 to Highway 375, then Highway 6 westbound into Tonopah, Nevada.
Drivers headed southbound out of Tonopah are advised to take US-6 eastbound to Highway 375, then Highway 318, then US-93 into Alamo, Nevada.
NHP said additional information will be released following the preliminary investigation.
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