LAGOS, Nigeria (AP)--A helicopter ferrying an injured oil worker from an offshore drilling rig in West Africa's Gulf of Guinea disappeared Monday with an American and three Nigerians onboard, ChevronTexaco's (CVX) Nigerian affiliate said.
The chopper disappeared five minutes after it took off around 2:30 a.m. from the Sedco Energy rig, owned by Transocean Inc. (RIG) and drilling on behalf of ChevronTexaco subsidiary Star Ultra Deep off Nigeria's southern coastline, said ChevronTexaco spokesman Sola Omole.
The four people on board the helicopter were an American pilot and three Nigerians: the co-pilot, the injured oil worker and a medical worker. The latter two were employed by the oil contract firm Transocean.
ChevronTexaco has "mobilized a search-and-rescue mission involving five boats, three helicopters and a fixed-wing aircraft to examine the flight path of the missing helicopter," Omole said, speaking from the commercial capital of Lagos.
The helicopter was owned by Pan African Airlines. The search was continuing and "more resources will be deployed if needed," the spokesman added without elaborating.
"Our hearts go out to the families of those onboard the helicopter," said Jay Pryor, managing director of ChevronTexaco's Nigerian operations. "We continue to hope that they will be found within the shortest possible time."
Next of kin and U.S. authorities have also been notified, ChevronTexaco said.