Helicopter crashes in sea, 20 survive, pilot missing
KUALA LUMPUR: A helicopter carrying 21 people crashed Sunday near an offshore Malaysian oil rig, but all its occupants except a pilot were rescued, police said.
The Super Puma helicopter was carrying ExxonMobil employees when it went down while flying to an oil rig in the South China Sea, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) off northeastern Malaysia, said Terengganu state police chief Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani.
Twenty people were rescued by rig workers who witnessed the crash some 200 meters (650 feet) from their platform, but a co-pilot remained missing, Acryl Sani told The Associated Press by telephone.
"We have not confirmed whether the incident was caused by bad weather or technical problems with the helicopter,'' Acryl Sani said.
Three of the injured were being flown to a Terengganu hospital, he said.
Police have not confirmed whether all the passengers were Malaysian, Acryl Sani said.
Staff contacted at ExxonMobil's office in Terengganu said they did not immediately have details on the crash. - AP