INDIA – Offshore Helicopter Crash – Pilots Missing.
INDIA – Offshore Helicopter Crash – Pilots Missing.
The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation of India (ONGC), has reported that a helicopter has crashed shortly after leaving on of its offshore platforms.
The helicopter was leaving the offshore platform, around 160 km (99 mi) west of Mumbai, in the Mumbai High South oil and gas field.
Early reports have suggested that the helicopter ditched in to the sea around 2 nautical miles from the offshore platform.
It isn’t believed to have been carrying any passengers, although two crew were onboard.
The Indian navy and coast guard have been mobilised to conduct a search and rescue operation.
The helicopter is believed to be a Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin, owned and operated by Pawan Hans, a subsidiary of Air India.
Speaking on the possibly cause of the incident, ONGC’s director of offshore, TK Sengutpa, said “We don’t know the reason for that.
The pilots on the board are still missing. We don’t know their whereabouts.”