Mumbai, June 28
A Pawan Hans helicopter fell into the waters of the Arabian Sea near ONGC’s Sagar Kiran oil rig off the Mumbai High Fields, about 175 km from the country’s commercial capital, official sources said here on Tuesday.
The helicopter was carrying at least seven passengers, reportedly ONGC employees, and two pilots and a major operation involving ONGC, the Indian Navy, the Indian Coast Guard and an offshore supply vessel was launched to rescue them.
Earlier, five people were rescued from sea water and in the next few hours, all nine people were rescued safely within 1400 hours, officials said.
The rescue operation involved ONGC’s offshore supply vessel Malaviya-16 and a boat from the oil rig Sagar Kiran, while the Indian Coast Guard deployed its helicopters to drop the rafts near the chopper and the Indian Navy included an ALH and a Sea King in efforts. Helicopter sent. ,
According to ONGC officials in Mumbai and New Delhi, the reason for the emergency landing on water, whether weather-related or technical issues, is not immediately clear and further details are awaited. IANS