HK Grounds Four New French-Made Rescue Helicopters
October 9, 2003 1:44am
Dow Jones Business News
HONG KONG (AP)--Hong Kong's government has temporarily grounded four new French-made search-and-rescue helicopters after one developed a major mechanical failure - the latest in a series of problems with the aircraft.
The Government Flying Service started operating five of the US$10 million EC155 B1 helicopters about six months ago. They've since had several problems - including a fatal crash still under investigation.
The latest problem surfaced Monday, when an oil cooling fan disintegrated in one of the choppers' main gearbox while the craft was flying. It landed safely and no one was injured.
A door suddenly flew off one of the choppers while it was flying over Hong Kong's harbor on Aug. 3.
Another crashed into a hill near Hong Kong's airport on Aug. 27, killing the two crew members on board.
It was the first crash involving an EC155 series helicopter made by Eurocopter, based near Marseilles in southern France.
Hong Kong has taken the helicopters out of service while investigators, including an expert from manufacturer Eurocopter, try to determine what went wrong, said Len Leung, operations manager for the Government Flying Service.
Leung anticipates the helicopters will be back in service in a few days.
The crash caused the first fatalities for the Hong Kong Government Flying Service, which was established in 1993.
Eurocopter offices in France couldn't immediately be reached for comment Thursday.