AAP
Helicopter with five people aboard missing
AAP|Published: Thursday June 6, 10:54 AM
A major search was under way today for a helicopter with five people aboard, missing in the Northern Territory.
Five fixed-wing aircraft and three helicopters were this morning scouring a 1,100 square kilometre area of the Mitchell Range in Arnhem Land, south-west of Nhulunbuy.
Police Commander Max Pope said the search for the Bell jet ranger helicopter was proving difficult because of the isolated terrain.
"There's limited road access to it," Cmdr Pope told ABC radio.
"On that road access we put some vehicles in this morning to act as a base camp and also we're moving fuel into the area to assist the helicopters in their search."
Australian Search and Rescue spokesman Ben Mitchell said an initial search began when the helicopter failed to make a scheduled refuelling stop at 1.30pm (CST) yesterday.
The helicopter was carrying five people who were conducting survey work mapping Aboriginal sacred sites near a proposed pipeline.
"We're fairly concerned," Mr Mitchell said.
Mr Mitchell said an overnight search using a customs aircraft with night-vision and infra-red equipment failed to find any trace of the missing helicopter.
There was no communication from the helicopter before it went missing, he said.
"It is fitted with a beacon, but no beacons were detected," he said.
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Mr Mitchell later said he believed all five on board were men, some of whom were Aboriginal elders assisting the survey.
The experienced pilot was a 52-year-old man.
"I believe they are all five males and that includes some Aboriginal elders who were assisting the survey," Mr Mitchell told the John Laws radio program.
"I understand the pilot was experienced. He's a 52-year-old man with a lot of hours in the jet ranger."
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