Coast Guard searches for missing helicopter
The Associated Press
10/10/03 7:21 PM
CAMERON, La. (AP) -- A helicopter with three men on board is missing after it lost contact on its way to an offshore oil platform Friday morning, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
The Petroleum Helicopters Inc. pilot did not "verbally close the flight plan" after telling ground control that he was on his way to an oil rig about 80 miles south of Cameron, said Ed Gatza, a manager of field human resources at PHI.
PHI reported the helicopter missing at about 11:30 a.m. to the Coast Guard. Gatza said two offshore workers and a pilot were on the helicopter. Gatza said their next of kin was being notified, and he would not release the men's names.
The Coast Guard sent a helicopter crew from its air station in Houston and a jet crew from its Aviation Training Center in Mobile, Ala., to look for the missing helicopter.
By late Friday, 30 knot winds, clear skies and 5 to 6 foot seas were recorded in the search area, said Petty Officer Andrew Kendrick of the Houston air station. It was not clear what the conditions were like when the helicopter was reported missing.
"We don't know if they've gone done or not, but we're taking every precaution. It's not usual to lose communication," Kendrick said.
Petty Officer Jonathan McCool, a spokesman for the Coast Guard, said the Coast Guard will continue to search as long as necessary.
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