The helicopter, which had six ONGC personnel onboard, and one belonging to a contractor working for the company, was forced to land using the floaters that are attached to such choppers that carry personnel and material from shore to offshore installations.
An ONGC helicopter carrying nine persons including two pilots, on Tuesday made an emergency landing near a company’s rig in the Arabian Sea, the company said. Four of the nine persons have been rescued so far and attempts are on to bring the others to safety, a company official said.
#Helicopter carrying 7 passengers & 2 pilots makes emergency landing in #Arabian Sea near #ONGC rig Sagar Kiran in #Mumbai High. Four rescued. Rescue operations in full swing. @HardeepSPuri @Rameswar_Teli @PetroleumMin
— Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) (@ONGC_) June 28, 2022
The circumstances that led to the emergency landing were not immediately clear. Other details too were awaited. ONGC has several rigs and installations in the Arabia Sea that are used to produce oil and gas from reservoirs lying below the seabed. The helicopter mishap occurred around 11:50 am, about 60 nautical miles west of Mumbai, near ONGC’s Sagar Kiran offshore rig.
An offshore supply vessel named Malviya 16 was diverted to assist in rescue operations. A Coast Guard aircraft has dropped a life raft near the location and another ship is also on its way to aid the rescue ops. “All nine people have been rescued,” Coast Guard spokesperson RK Singh said.- The operation went on for nearly an hour.
4 persons rescued by #ONGC vessel Malviya-16; fifth by #ONGC rig Sagar Kiran rescue boat https://t.co/GqxlzzQeaE
— Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) (@ONGC_) June 28, 2022
“A coast guard aircraft dropped life rafts for survivors. The international safety net was activated by the MRCC (Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre Mumbai). The coast guard is coordinating with the Indian Navy and the ONGC for mobilization of the rescue effort. OSV Malviya 16 ship has been diverted by the MRCC Mumbai to join rescue operations picks up five survivors,” the Indian Coast Guard quoted. The site of the mishap is located 7 nautical miles inside the Arabian sea from Mumbai.
