Four dead in ONGC chopper crash

Four persons died after a Pawan Hans helicopter, chartered by oil explorer and producer ONGC, ditched into the Arabian Sea, around 60 nautical miles off Mumbai. The helicopter was carrying nine persons on board when the accident occurred.

Officials of the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard confirmed that all the nine survivors were picked up during the rescue operations. According to the ONGC, four were evacuated to Juhu by Navy helicopters for medical assistance, but did not survive.

The ONGC is reaching out to the families of the deceased.

The incident involving the Sikorsky S-76D helicopter took place near the Sagar Kiran rig, around 60 nautical miles off Mumbai, at 1145 hrs. Offshore supply vessels OSV Malviya-16, OSV Greatship Asmi, OSV ABS Anokhi and OSV Subhaprada were diverted to the datum.

One boat of the Sagar Kiran oil rig, a SeaKing helicopter and an Advanced Light Helicopter of the Indian Navy and a Dornier fixed-wing aircraft of Indian Coast Guard were pressed into search and rescue operation.

Within a few minutes another ONGC aircraft was launched from Juhu airbase.

“Four survivors were picked by Malviya-16, one by boat of Sagar Kiran and two each by ALH and SeaKing,” a spokesperson of Mumbai-headquartered Western Naval Command said.

The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre activated its network for the rescue operations.

The cause of the crash is not yet known. An inquiry has been ordered into the incident.