Helicopter Crash Kuala Lumpur

[BWL]

Is this a Canadian Super Puma?

 

Pilot missing after crashPublished: Monday, 6 November, 2006, 09:02 AM Doha Time

 

KUALA LUMPUR: A helicopter pilot was missing early yesterday after his chopper crashed as it was carrying workers to a rig off Malaysia’s eastern Terengganu state.

The Super Puma helicopter had been carrying two crew and 19 workers from US oil and gas giant Exxon Mobil to the rig early yesterday when it experienced technical problems and crashed in deep waters off the South China Sea, the official Bernama news agency said.

The helicopter crashed just 200m from the oil platform. Fellow workers who witnessed the accident to alert authorities.

All those on board the ill-fated helicopter, except the pilot, were rescued, said Terengganu police chief Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani.

“The colleagues of the workers on the platform realised what had happened and immediately launched a rescue operation.”

“So far, 20 people, including the co-pilot, are reported safe while the helicopter pilot is missing,” Acryl was quoted as saying by Bernama.–

[Rotorboy2]

That must have been on helluva technical problem.

[RDM]

We have been following this unfortunate accident from the very start, very few details.

 

 

Great company, great people, our thoughts to the family of the missing Capt.

[407 Driver]

...from PPrune...

 

ExxonMobil Stops Using Super Puma Following Crash

 

KUALA TERENGGANU, Nov 6 (Bernama) -- ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Malaysia Inc (EMEPMI) will temporarily stop using Super Puma helicopters for its operations after the one it chartered crashed off the coast of Terengganu Sunday.

 

"(We will stop chartering) all Super Puma used for (our) operations in Malaysia until further notice," the company said in a statement issued in Kuala Lumpur Sunday.

 

ExxonMobil chartered the Super Puma helicopters for its business operations in Malaysia from Malaysian Helicopter Services Aviation Bhd (MHS Aviation Bhd).

 

One of the helicopters used by ExxonMobil, with 21 people on board, crashed into the South China Sea some 103 nautical miles off Dungun beach in Terengganu at 11.45am Sunday.

 

The pilot identified as Captain Mohd Salleh Teguh is still missing while 19 passengers and a co-pilot have been warded at Kuala Terengganu Hospital. Their conditions were reportedly stable.

 

ExxonMobil said the Department of Civil Aviation and Maritime Department were leading the search and rescue effort for the missing pilot.

 

"We are doing everything possible to assist the impacted individuals and their families during this difficult time and our thoughts and prayers are with them," ExxonMobil E&P Malaysia Inc chairman Liam M Mallon said.

 

ExxonMobil said 10 of the crash victims, including the missing pilot, were Sarku Engineering and Services Sdn Bhd employees and six were employees of Sime Darby Engineering.

 

The rest were employees of ExxonMobil (1), Dowell Schlumberger Sdn Bhd (1), SAAG Drilling & Well Services Sdn Bhd (1) and MHS Aviation Bhd (1).

[windy miller]

A very sad day here. The Captain was an experienced and very popular pilot by all accounts. His body was found earlier today. Initial survivor accounts indicate that the aircraft hit the water while overshooting from an NDB/ARA in bad weather. It broke in half where the tail connects to the body and the majority of the passengers escaped through the hole this created. Eurocopter are on scene and until the FDR is recovered will not comment on any technical issues. The floats were not activated and the aircraft sank very quickly. I'll post more when it is released locally rather than speculate.

[RDM]

wm,

 

Any further news to add?

[windy miller]

Aircraft recovered last night. Recovered in 2 pieces. No sign of technical problem so far. Unofficially MHS and the Malaysian DCA are saying it is a CFIT incident. They have interviewed the co pilot, and most of the passengers. DCA have recovered the CVR and FDR so they should be able to wrap this up fairly quickly from the investigation side.

[transquebecniece]

What a terribly tragic event. Condolences to all involved.