Mumbai: A helicopter carrying seven people at early morning, including five ONGC employees, crashed off Mumbai’s coast on Saturday. Three bodies have been recovered, Coast Guard said. The Pawan Hans chopper went missing after it took off from Juhu airport at 10:20am in Mumbai. The helicopter lost contact with air traffic control (ATC) 15 minutes later 30 nautical miles offshore.
The Indian Navy has deployed a frigate and a surveillance aircraft to locate the missing chopper while the Coast Guard said that “some debris has been located”, but did not elaborate.
The chopper, Dauphin N3, bearing registration number VT-PWA, took off from Juhu aerodrome at 10.25 AM, with five ONGC employees and two pilots onboard, they said.
The chopper was scheduled to land at the designated oil rig at Mumbai High at 11 AM, the sources said.
@IndiaCoastGuard Ships & Aircraft on SAR mission 40 Nautical Miles North West of Mumbai for ill fated @ONGC_ helicopter, recovered 4th body . SAR Continues…@DefenceMinIndia @SpokespersonMoD @PIB_India
— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) January 13, 2018
Search operations are on, they added.
@ONGC_Pawanhans Aircraft with 2 pilots & 5 passengers went missing after getting airborne from Juhu at 1030 hrs. @IndiaCoastGuard Ship on receipt of information reached area, located the debris,picked up a body at 1230 hrs. SAR so far resulted in 03 body recovery @DefenceMinIndia
— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) January 13, 2018
@IndiaCoastGuard 05 Ships & 02 Aircraft engaged in extensive SAR operation in area for missing crew/pilots of ill fated aircraft. 03 bodies recovered. One body is identified as of Mr. Garg, DGM, ONGC. @DefenceMinIndia @SpokespersonMoD @PIB_India
— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) January 13, 2018
One Pawanhans Helicopter of ONGC flying from Juhu #Mumbai to ODA Offshore Development Area lost at Sea this morning. Total crew on board 05 besides two pilot. Large scale @IndiaCoastGuard SAR Operation underway. Debris located by CG Ship and one body recovered @DefenceMinIndia
— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) January 13, 2018
The Navy said it had deployed its stealth frigate INS Teg for the search operation while surveillance aircraft P8i has also been press into service.
The Coast Guard said that it has diverted ships which were at sea and also those sailing from Mumbai.
“A Dornier aircraft and helicopters from Daman (near Dahanu) have also been launched,” a Coast Guard spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added that “some debris has been located”, but did not say if it belonged to the chopper.
— PTI