New Delhi: An ONGC helicopter with 9 people on-board made an emergency landing in the Arabian sea on Tuesday afternoon. The chopper was carrying seven passengers and two pilots and it was emergency landed near Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) rig Sagar Kiran in Mumbai High, the company said.
According to ABP News sources, all nine people have been rescued. The Indian Coast Guard had also joined in the rescue operations. All 9 have been picked up by another ship sailed out from Mumbai with dispatch to join rescue operations
The Coast Guard had earlier diverted two ships toward the site for the rescue operation. One Dornier aircraft, which took off from Daman dropped one life raft in the area, official sources said to PTI.
The Coast Guard Aircraft dropped life rafts for survivors. The international safety net was also activated by MRCC. The Coast Guard is coordinating with the Indian Navy & ONGC for mobilisation of rescue effort. OSV Malviya 16 which was diverted by MRCC Mumbai to join rescue operations has picked up five survivors, said the ICG
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 coppers that carry personnel and material from shore to offshore installations, according to a PTI report.
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 site of the mishap is located 7 nautical miles inside the Arabian sea from Mumbai.