Funeral mass for Bristol helicopter co-pilot holds without corpse

AUGUST 20, 2015 : MUDIAGA AFFE, CALABAR
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The family of Capt. Peter Bello Jnr, the co-pilot of the Bristol
helicopter that crashed in Lagos lagoon on Wednesday last
week, held a funeral mass in Calabar on Thursday without the
deceased’s corpse.
As early as 10am, family members and friends had gathered at
the Magaret Ekpo International Airport in Calabar, Cross River
State, to receive the corpse but they had to leave around 3pm
for St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in the Ikot Ansa area of the
metropolis, when it became obvious that the corpse would not
arrive from Lagos.
No reason was given for the delay in bringing the corpse.
At the church funeral service, which commenced at about
3.30pm, tributes poured forth for the 26-year-old co-pilot of the
ill-fated Bristow Helicopter.
Delivering his homily at the funeral mass, Rev. Fr. Patrick
Corcoran, who drew his Bible reading from John 14:1-6,
admonished Christians not to allow their hearts to be troubled,
but to have faith in God.
He read, “In my father’s house, there are many dwelling places.
If there were not, I would have told you.
“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again
and take you to myself, so that where I am, you also may be.”
Corcoran consoled with the family and urged them to be
thankful to God that their son died as a Christian.
After the church service, both parents of the co-pilot, Mr. and
Mrs. Peter Bello, refused to grant interview.
But the father had, however, said during the service, “We thank
God that in the last 26 years, we shared wonderful times with
you. We thank God for your life and all it meant to us. We can
only live with these memories.
“We are confident, blessed that God has better plans for us
because He is a good God. Lord, help us to know you more. All
we wish and pray is that your death brings others to know who
God is. God is sovereign. We love you, we miss you. Rest in the
bosom of the Lord.”
Bristow described him as a shining star.
The company’s Lagos Base Manager, Captain Ayo Oni, in a
tribute, said the late Peter was one of the few cadets who felt
very comfortable with the controls especially for his experience
level and his eagerness to know more.
“He was never late for flights; never had an excuse not to fly, it
was his passion,” he said.
A relative of the deceased, Mrs Femi Bello, said death took the
young pilot too early when his services were most needed at
Bristow.
She prayed for the soul of Bello to rest in peace.
A family friend, Mrs Theresa Okon, said the late Bello was a
celebrated pilot, who devoted adequate time to his job.
Okon enjoined the family of the deceased to be courageous of
the fact that their son left a significant mark on his profession.
The late Bello was the co-pilot of the Bristow Helicopter 5NBDG
that crashed with 12 passengers on board, leaving six dead.
He was born on July 4, 1989, in Calabar to the family of Mr. and
Mrs. Peter Bello (Snr.), who both hail from Cross River State.
He gained employment as a trainee pilot with Bristow
Helicopters in 2013 and got his flying licence in 2014.