A Sikorsky-76 helicopter carrying eight persons this morning ditched off the coast of Sarawak, Malaysia, after a sudden weather change, Malaysian news agency Bernama has reported.
According to the Malaysian oil company Petronas the aircraft ditched about 159 km off the shore of Bintulu at about 7.45 am, today. All the passengers, six oil workers and two pilots, were rescued by a vessel passing by, Bernama reported.
“The incident occurred when the helicopter was about to make a controlled landing aboard a vessel carrying out seismic work. PETRONAS is extending all the necessary assistance to the affected personnel. The cause of the incident is still under investigation,” Petronas said in a statement.
The oil workers are employed by a Petronas contractor. Local police said the passengers were from France, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Canada.
[mappress] Offshore Energy Today Staff, December 12, 2013