For an S61 to break in half at the strongest part of the structure, is extremely unusual. Hopefully by retrieving these parts, some indication of the chain of events will become apparent.
Six killed in Canaries helicopter crash By m.p.
Sun, 09 Jul 2006, 20:57
Part of the fuselage of the helicopter which crashed off the Canary Islands on Saturday. Photo - EFE.
A helicopter has crashed into the sea off the Canary Islands, killing all six of the crew on board.
Five of the victims have been recovered, but the sixth, the co-pilot, is still missing. It is believed his body may be in the frontal section of the aircraft, which has been located two and a half miles off shore, some 700 metres below the surface.
The crash was reported by a fisherman on Saturday morning, who saw the helicopter in the sea, four kilometres off the northeastern coast of Anaga.
The aircraft had been contracted by the Environment Ministry for the transport of fire fighting personnel.
It had left La Palma for Gran Canaria at 8.10 that morning, where it was due to undergo a technical inspection.
Contact was lost when it was flying over the Anaga mountain range in Tenerife.
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