The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its hourslong search after a helicopter with 4 individuals on board crashed within the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday, officers stated.
The helicopter was within the technique of departing an oil platform within the Gulf when it crashed, the Coast Guard’s eighth District, headquartered in New Orleans, tweeted.Coast Guard officers stated the helicopter went down about 10 miles offshore of Southwest Go, Louisiana, — a channel about 80 miles southeast of New Orleans.
The crew looked for about 180 sq. miles for eight hours, the Coast Guard stated in a information launch.
“It’s at all times a troublesome determination to droop a search,” stated Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Keefe, Coast Guard Sector New Orleans Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator. “Our deepest sympathies and condolences exit to the household and mates throughout this troublesome time.”
The reason for the crash was not instantly launched by officers. The Nationwide Transportation stated it was investigating the incident Thursday.
Of the 4 lacking individuals, Hernandez stated that three had been oil platform employees and one was the pilot. The oil platform is operated by Houston-based Walter Oil and Gasoline.
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About 3,500 oil and fuel buildings stand within the Gulf, based on the NOAA’s Nationwide Facilities for Environmental Info. Over 3,200 of those buildings stay energetic, ranging in dimension from single effectively caissons in water depths of 10 ft to bigger services in water depths as much as virtually 10,000 ft.
Staff are routinely transported to and from oil platforms within the Gulf by helicopters.
Two weeks in the past, the Coast Guard rescued three individuals after a helicopter crashed off the Louisiana coast whereas making an attempt to land on an oil rig platform. That crash occurred Dec. 15 south of Terrebonne Bay, roughly 60 miles west of the world the Coast Guard was looking Thursday.
Contributing: The Related Press