Coronavirus outbreak: ONGC, chopper firms come up with SOP for safe travel

After three workers from the Bombay High offshore oil field were made to fly back to Mumbai after showing coronavirus symptoms on Sunday, helicopter operators and

After three workers from the Bombay High offshore oil field were made to fly back to Mumbai after showing coronavirus symptoms on Sunday, helicopter operators and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) came together to discuss and implement standard operating procedure to be followed while flying a suspected patients. Bombay High is located 176km off the coast of Mumbai and the oil operations are run by ONGC.

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As of now, the aviation ministry has not issued a specific advisory for the helicopter industry.

Though the three suspected patients were brought onshore and were tested negative for coronavirus at Kasturba Gandhi Hospital, helicopter operators and ONGC conducted a meeting to discuss the safety measures to be followed while flying a patient on board.

An ONGC spokesperson said, “ONGC has taken various measures to safeguard its employees at all its locations. All employees proceeding to offshore are being screened by thermal scanner. Similar scanning has also been initiated at its office premises in Mumbai. SOPs to deal with any infection have been shared with all offshore installations and office premises. Medicines, masks and sanitizers have been provided at all onshore/offshore installations. ONGC has cancelled or postponed all conferences, seminars and similar events so as to avoid large gatherings. All the companies flying for ONGC have been briefed about safety precautions.”

A Juhu airport official said, “Pawan Hans pilots were contacted and asked to fly the affected people. However, the pilot refused as they did not have personal protection equipment (PPE) or disposable shoe covers.”