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Three killed in helicopter crash
Two Papua New Guineans died instantly while a third died at the Iagifu Ridge Hospital when a Hevi Lift helicopter on contract to Oil Search Limited crashed on approach to the Moran 5/7 helipad in the Southern Highlands. The tragic incident happened last Thursday at 5pm. It was the first major incident of such disastrous proportions involving Oil Search this year. On board the helicopter were seven passengers — six Papua New Guinean welders and their Australian pilot. From the surviving four passengers, a critically injured patient — believed to be the Melbourne-born pilot — was medivaced to a hospital in Cairns, Australia, for special medical treatment in the early hours of Friday morning. The remaining three passengers were airlifted to the Pacific International Hospital in Port Moresby where they were being treated for their injuries. The trio was reportedly very traumatised by the incident and medical officers attending to them would not allow visitors, including the media, to speak to them or take photographs. “A swift and efficient response by the Oil Search field response team assisted in rescuing the passengers and bringing the critically injured to the Iagifu Ridge Hospital,” said Oil Search managing director Peter Botten. He said while the company regretted the tragedy, a full investigation involving Oil Search Limited, Hevi Lift and the Office of Civil Aviation Authority was already underway to determine the cause of the incident. “Oil Search is doing what it can to assist the injured and support their families at this difficult time and is also providing counselling to other people affected by this incident,” he said. Hevi Lift said on Friday they would issue a statement regarding the incident later.
PX Boeing in ‘tail-strike’
Air Niugini’s Boeing 767 aircraft has suffered a tail-strike on landing at Jackson’s International Airport in Port Moresby, delaying an undisclosed number of international passengers from leaving. The flight —PX 004 — had arrived from Brisbane, Australia, around 5.30pm yesterday when the incident occurred as the aircraft was landing. Air Niugini’s corporate affairs manager Eva Arni told the Post-Courier yesterday that as a result of the mishap, the aircraft could not operate the PX 005 flight from Port Moresby to Brisbane and Sydney in Australia. Acting chief executive officer of Air Niugini Wasantha Kumarasiri said last night: “It was not an emergency landing . . . the aircraft on (normal) landing suffered a tail-strike.” He said following the incident the airline took the necessary steps to ensure normal Boeing procedures were followed and the aircraft will now go for a service. He said all passengers for Brisbane who were to travel on PX005 yesterday were airlifted to their destination in a Fokker 100 series aircraft. Mr Kumarasiri said while the tail-strike would disrupt Air Niugini’s services to Australia, the airline will do its best to provide the best customer service. He said alternative arrangements would be made for passengers who wish to travel with Air Niugini out of the country. Mr Kumarasiri could not confirm how many passengers were affected and when repair work would start on the Boeing 767 aircraft.