Hong Kong GFS heli down

[Joker's Wild]

Not sure what has happened but it appears an aircraft belonging to the Hong Kong Government Flying Service has gone missing this evening.

Public television news reports confirm this.

Standby for further.

[ShyTorque]

Any links please?

My thoughts go out to all involved and I very sincerely hope all are found safe and well. :(

Good luck guys.

[Captain Lai Hai]

Unfortunately confirmed,

Details limited at this time.
Appears to be an EC155 at least 2 killed.

[PVL-70]

On this mornings news they have confirmed 2 pilots dead and maybe 1 or 2 crewman. The A/C appears to be spread over the side of the hill from news footage.

[Autorotate]

Capt Lai Hai,

Where in HK was it.

:E

[Heliport]

Star Online report Two die in helicopter crash near Hong Kong airport

HONG KONG (AP) - A government search-and-rescue helicopter crashed into a hill near Hong Kong airport, killing the two crewmembers aboard, the government reported Wednesday.

The crash took place Tuesday night after the helicopter departed the airport on a mission to airlift a sick person from an outlying island to a hospital, government spokesman Terence Lau said.

Rescuers found the wreckage of the EC155 B1 helicopter early Wednesday, three hours after the crash.

The pilot and another crewmember were rushed to hospital, where they were pronounced dead, Lau said.

The cause of the accident was not immediately known.

Hong Kong's political leader, Tung Chee-hwa, said in a statement that he was "shocked and deeply saddened'' over the accident and promised an investigation.

The Government Flying Service, responsible for search and rescue missions, purchased the US$10 million helicopter along with four others about six months ago from Eurocopter, based near the southern French city of Marseille.

Earlier this month, a door suddenly fell off an EC155 B1 helicopter as it flew across Hong Kong's harbor after a medical evacuation.

A French expert was dispatched to Hong Kong by Eurocopter to install a new door.

No one was injured in the Aug. 3 incident.

It was not immediately clear if the crashed helicopter was the one involved in the earlier incident. - AP

ReutersThe Government Flying Service helicopter left its base at about 10:30 pm (GMT 14:30) on Tuesday for a small island to airlift a casualty to hospital, but it failed to respond when contacted by the headquarters 10 minutes later, it said.
The helicopter crashed on a hillside near the Lantau island of the former British colony, and the pilot and a crewman were found inside the wrecked body of the helicopter early this morning, it said in a statement.
They were rushed to the hospital where they were certified dead, it added.

Very sad.

[Joker's Wild]

Accident site is near Tung Chung Pass on Lantau Island but I'm not sure yet if it occurred on the north or south side of the pass.

Weather last night had a fair amount of cloud covering most of the island. I know cuz I was airborne in the area same time as the aircraft was being looked for by HK ATC.

[Captain Lai Hai]

Hi Ned

I have only heard from the local news that it was near Tung Chung pass which is a transit point along the mountain range between the north side of Lantau island where Chek Lap Kok airport where the GFS is located and the south side of Lantau island.

[Time Out]

News.com.au report the pilot and crewmember's names in the following report:

Two killed in helicopter crash
From correspondents in Hong Kong
August 27, 2003

A GOVERNMENT search-and-rescue helicopter crashed into a hill near Hong Kong airport today, killing the two crew members aboard.

The crash took place last night after the helicopter departed the airport on a mission to airlift a sick person from an outlying island to a hospital, government spokesman Terence Lau said.

Rescuers found the wreckage of the EC155 B1 helicopter early this morning, three hours after the crash.

The 34-year-old pilot, Pang Fu-kwok, and another 31-year-old crewmember, Chan Man-tik, were rushed to hospital, where they were pronounced dead, officials said.

The cause of the accident was not immediately known and the Civil Aviation Department said a five-member team will carry out an investigation.

[Autorotate]

Capt Lai Hai,

Know the area. We slipped through there on way to hook up with a Patrol boat for some photos with S-76 and Blackhawk. Didnt know those two crewmembers but BB and Johnny L must be taking it hard. Great close knit bunch of people there. If you talk to BB pass on my condolences.

Regards from Los Angeles.

:E