Chopper with 9 on board makes emergency landing in sea, four dead

The helicopter had taken off from Juhu with seven personnel working for ONGC and two pilots on board. Coast Guard, Indian Navy and ONGC carry out search and rescue operations.

Mumbai: A helicopter operating for the Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC), with nine people on board, made an emergency landing 60 nautical miles off Mumbai close to oil rig Sagar Kiran on Tuesday morning. A Coast Guard spokesperson said that all nine people were evacuated, but four later succumbed.

The helicopter had taken off from Juhu with seven personnel working for ONGC and two pilots, Juhu airport director A K Verma said.

The helicopter was a brand new Sikorsky S 76 D with the call sign VT- PWI and was operated by Pawan Hans.

“We have sent a Sea King helicopter, an advanced light helicopter with harness and divers. They have also thrown life rafts from helicopters for survivors,” a top officer of the Indian Navy said.

A Coast Guard spokesperson said that Ocean Support vessel Malviya 16 was diverted by Marine Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Mumbai, to join the rescue operations and picked up two survivors. MRCC (Mumbai) also activated the International Safety Net.

While a guard ship at sea was diverted, another ship sailed out from Mumbai with dispatch to join the rescue operations