Four killed after ONGC chopper makes emergency landing

Four persons died after a Pawan Hans helicopter, employed for the state-run ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation) duties, made an emergency landing in the Arabian Sea on Tuesday

Four persons died after a Pawan Hans helicopter, employed for the state-run ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation) duties, made an emergency landing in the Arabian Sea on Tuesday.

The incident occurred near ONGC rig Sagar Kiran in Mumbai High, located about 60 nautical miles west of Mumbai, on Tuesday. Indian Coast Guard

The incident occurred near ONGC rig Sagar Kiran in Mumbai High, located about 60 nautical miles west of the city.

All nine on board – two pilots, six ONGC employees, and one employee of the oil company’s contractor – were rescued in a two-hour operation involving Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Indian Navy ships and helicopters. Some private commercial vessels and an ONGC stand-by vessel also aided in the effort.

The injured persons were shifted to Nanavati Hospital where four were declared dead. The deceased have been identified as engineers Mukhesh Kumar Patel, 55, from Gujarat and Vijay Mandloyi, 32, from Madhya Pradesh, geologist Satyambad Patra, 27, from Odisha, and room boy Sanju Francis, 30, from Kerala.

According to ICG, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Mumbai received a distress call from Australian and Indian MCC at 11.46 am. MRCC traced the alert to Pawan Hans helicopter (Sikorsky S-76D).

The chopper had left the Juhu aerodrome about 10.54 am for Sagar Kiran. It was forced to land on the sea while attempting an emergency landing on an oil platform and later turned upside down.

As MRCC activated the international safety net, nearby commercial vessels – OSV Malviya-16, OSV Greatship Asmi, OSV ABS Anokhi, and OSV Subhaprada were diverted to the location.

A few minutes later, ICG scrambled its Dornier aircraft from the Juhu airbase and also diverted its ships to the accident spot. On urgent requisition made by MRCC, the Indian Navy also sent its Naval Seaking and ALH helicopters to aid the search operation.

OSV Malviya-16 rescued four survivors, whereas one survivor was rescued by a life boat deployed by Sagar Kiran, ICG spokesperson Commandant RK Singh said.

Defence spokesperson Commandant Mehul Karnik said four survivors were pulled out of water by Naval Seaking and ALH helicopters and were taken to the Juhu airbase from where they were shifted to Nanavati Hospital.

All four, however, breathed their last by the time they reached the hospital.

They were declared brought dead at the hospital, said Geeta Chavan, deputy commissioner of police, Port Zone. “We have registered four accidental death reports. Post-mortem will be conducted at Cooper Hospital late Tuesday night. We have initiated our investigation. The exact cause of the incident will be clear once we record the statement of the pilots and other rescued passengers,” she said.

Police inspector S Patankar from Yellow Gate police station said, “The doctors have advised that the five rescued personnel are not in a condition to record their statement; we will do this later.”

“All 9 persons onboard helicopter were rescued. Unfortunately, four of them, brought unconscious to the Mumbai base and taken to the hospital, lost the battle of life. #ONGC deeply mourns this loss,” the company said in a tweet at 5.47 pm.

Petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri tweeted, “I am personally deeply saddened and mourn the loss of 4 hardworking members of the @ONGC_family, Sh Mukesh Patel Ji EE(E), Sh Vijay Mandloi Ji, EE(M), Sh Satyambad Patra Ji, Geologist & contract worker Sh Sanju Francis Ji in a tragic helicopter accident at Mumbai offshore today.”

ONGC officials said the remaining five, including the two pilots, were out of danger.

Later in the evening, the company instituted an inquiry into the incident.

“A helicopter carrying nine persons on board, including two pilots, made an emergency landing around 11.45 am today in the Arabian Sea, one nautical mile from ONGC offshore rig Sagar Kiran,” the company said in a statement.