Portnet Heli Crash : One missing

[Gunship]

:sad:
A Portnet helicopter crashed at the entrance to the Richards Bay
harbour in northern KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday.

Police spokesperson Captain Tienkie van Vuuren said two people in the
helicopter were rescued and one person was still missing.

"It appears as if the helicopter's blade touched a ship causing it to crash
at about 11:45," Van Vuuren said.

No further details were immediately available.

:sad: :sad: :sad:

Sad Link (http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,6119,2-7-1442_1764605,00.html)

Pilot\'s "ok" (From IOL)

Two police helicopters from Durban and police divers have been called in to search for a man who went missing after a Portnet helicopter crashed into the sea at the entrance to the Richards Bay Harbour on Saturday morning.

Police Captain Rene van der Westhuizen said the two pilots who were in the helicopter were rescued and taken to hospital with suspected spinal injuries and fractures.

"One other person who was in the helicopter is still missing. And its suspected that he went down with the aircraft.

"We can\'t see the helicopter it sunk and the water is about 20 to 30 feet deep," said Van der Westhuizen.

She said it appeared as if the accident occurred when the helicopter tried to drop or pick up one of the pilots from a ship and its propeller :ugh: touched the vessel causing it to crash at about 11.45am.

Van der Westhuizen said the fire department as well as the private company who had rescued the two pilots were also assisting in the search.

The names of those who were involved in the helicopter crash had not yet been released. - Sapa

:sad:

Sad Link (http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=qw1125750600767B223)

[Gunship]

:sad:

Two police helicopters from Durban and police divers have been called in to search for a man who went missing after a Portnet helicopter crashed into the sea at the entrance to the Richards Bay Harbour on Saturday morning.

Police spokesperson Captain Rene van der Westhuizen said the two pilots who were in the helicopter were rescued and taken to hospital with suspected spinal injuries and fractures.

"One other person who was in the helicopter is still missing. And it's suspected that he went down with the aircraft.

"We can't see the helicopter it sunk and the water is about 20 to 30 feet deep," said Van der Westhuizen.

She said it appeared as if the accident occurred when the helicopter tried to drop or pick up one of the pilots from a ship and its propeller touched the vessel causing it to crash at about 11.45.

Van der Westhuizen said the fire department as well as the private company who had rescued the two pilots were also assisting in the search.

The names of those who were involved in the helicopter crash had not yet been released.

News 24 (http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1764672,00.html)

[Rhodie]

Crash victim's body recovered
04/09/2005 11:11


Johannesburg - Police divers on Sunday recovered the body of a flight engineer who had been aboard a helicopter that plunged into the sea at the Richard's Bay harbour entrance on Saturday.
Harvey Moir, NSRI Richards Bay Station Commander, said the body was recovered from the fuselage of the National Ports Authority Augusta 119 helicopter.

"A decision will be taken later on the recovery of the helicopter fuselage."

The accident occurred while the helicopter was lifting a marine pilot, Ashwani Pathak, from a vessel.

"The helicopter blades allegedly made contact with the vessel, Aloha Afovos, during this process, causing the helicopter pilot to lose control. The chopper then nose-dived into the sea."

Pathak was still being winched up when the incident occurred.

Helicopter pilot John Basson and Pathak were rescued by divers who were repairing pipelines at the time.

Basson sustained minor injuries to his face and back and was in a stable condition, while Pathak sustained serious head, spine and internal injuries and was in a critical condition in a local hospital.

News24/SAPA


:sad:

[Recuperator]

Didn't Mr. Basson park a Jetranger in the sea as well some years ago...

Sad story...:(

[Gunship]

I wish John and the marine pilot a speedy recovery.

My sincere condolences to the F/E's family , colluages and friends :sad:

[SAA201]

Does anybody know the reg of the aircraft involved?

[B Sousa]

Understand its normal behavior to do Marine Pilot transfer with helicopters.
Not an easy task at time for sure given South Africas oceans.
I have landed on ships before a few times albeit they were military and prepared to accept helicopters, even then it can get a bit dicey.
No matter where you are once you get a blade strike its not long until you go from crew to passenger as there aint much left to do.
Sad at the loss of anyone but good to hear that some made it out.
After a blade strike its extremely fast to becoming a falling object. That crew is going to need some serious peer support after what they have been through. There but for fortune............

[Balmy]

They have been doing this for seven years at Richards Bay and Durban. Great operation, well run, and world leaders in Harbour Pilot transfer by helicopter. Sad incident, particularly with a death and injuries.....and a blemish on a superb safety record.

[Latent Heat]

Anyone know the where-abouts of Jacques Visagie? Last i heard that he was invloved with the heli's (as crew) in Richards Bay.

Sad affair this...condolences to the victim's family and friends.

[Gunship]

Members of the Civil Aviation Authority, the National Ports Authority and the South African Maritime Safety Authority met in Richards Bay on Monday to discuss their investigations into Saturday's fatal Portnet helicopter crash.

Ports manager Hlubi Nzama told reporters that they could still not release the name of the flight engineer, from Welkom, who died in the crash.

Nzama said he did not know if the engineer's family had been informed of his death and he was not a Portnet employee.

Police spokesperson Captain Rene van der Westhuizen said the helicopter wreckage had been taken to the port authority helipad for investigations.

She said authorities were waiting for the parents of marine pilot Ashwani Pathak to come from India.

The crash occurred while the helicopter was lifting Pathak from a vessel.

On Sunday, National Sea Rescue Institute spokesperson Harvey Moir said: "The helicopter blades allegedly made contact with the vessel, Aloha Afovos, during this process, causing the helicopter pilot to lose control. The chopper then nose-dived into the sea."

He said Pathak was still being winched up when the incident occurred.

Helicopter pilot John Basson and Pathak were rescued by divers who were repairing pipelines at the time.

On Monday the Richards Bay hospital manager, Kobus Nel, said Pathak was in a very serious condition in the intensive care unit while Basson was recovering in a normal ward. - Sapa

Link (http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=qw112592646331B223)

[Dct no speed]

To John and family we are thinking of you ,speedy recovery to you and Mr Pathak!

Our condolences to the hoist operator's family, may the Good Lord give you strength to deal with the loss of your loved one ! :( :(

To Ettienne, Piet and rest of the crew in R/B; hang in there !

[leginheli]

The registration was ZS-RRB. A 109 K2 not a A119 as in some news reports. Acher Aviation (previously Balmoral) has had a pretty good safety record to date, as mentioned before, espcially
considering the work that they do. The only other major incident/accident was when a ship crew member walked into the tailrotor a number of years ago.

Jacques Visagie is a-okey and was studying for his pilots licence the last I heard.

[Sandiron]

I have some pics of the recovery of the aircraft, if anyone can give me instructions on how to post?

[340_co-jock]

Hi Sandiron
All you need do to upload the pics is to "reply" and you'll see a "IMG" Buton just below the message icon group.
Click on the IMG button and add the pics.
340_co-jock

[Gunship]

Before you can do that ... the pics need to be hosted (on a web site).

Send them to me and I will host them for you on my web site (Will take a while as I am on a 21 000 bps line in the land of sand but will try later tonight)

PM me for my e-mail address ;)

Cheers,

Gunss

[Dct no speed]

Gunship

Intrest in pic's for a friend, give us an idea when they will be fortcoming, do you blow up dust storms at the Iris Village ?May be we could share a cold one on a Night Stop.

For ever requesting,

Dct no speed:)

[Aviator609]

Gunship,

Please pm me your website address. Would like to see the photo's and e-mail you.

Best regards

WS

[Gunship]

Sorry gents - not received them yet.

Iris Villiage ? WHere is that mate ? Got booze ? :E

[Dct no speed]

Still like to see those pic,s , seems you and I don't share the same piece of sand ;so the cold one has to wait.

Regards

d.n.s:)

[Gunship]

Sandiron I have send you my address - did you get it ?

As soon as I get the pics I will post them - promise.

Yip my piece of sand is very dry mate ... very :{

[Dct no speed]

Mine piece of sand has the odd waterhole ! Good ones to boot, sorry to hear about the lack of "water" on your side, sure you make up 4 it when you go Down South ,if you ever head To the town of the "Big Sailboat" give a heads up ! :)

[Sandiron]

Gunss

Sorry - been away. Stand by.

[Gunship]

Send ASAP I am online for the next hour and will post for you :ok:

[Gunship]

Ok received from Sandiron. I have uploaded them but must be honest I am paste .. working 0200 GMT.

So if you do not mind - just go to my web site and look for them under PORTNET Crash.

Cheers

Gunzzz

The Accident Pictures are here (http://community.webshots.com/user/idoitmyway69)

[Dct no speed]

Thanks for the pic mate, hard to believe anyone survided it.....up date on John, Still in hospital with broken no 5 vertibra and dammage to his upper back.He has had great support from family and friends and they guys and girls at Balmoral .

John said that if it wasn't for Air Force training and his free diving ( Spearfishing )he would not have made it.

Straighten up and fly right boys.

DCT No Speed.

[Gunship]

Pleasure - thanks to Sandi :ok:

Here are a few of the pics ... yes amazing that people got out of this one. Pse send him our best regards for a great recovery (and the PILOT).

http://image56.webshots.com/56/4/56/17/448345617nLwesY_ph.jpg

http://image53.webshots.com/53/4/77/67/448347767WfHXPh_ph.jpg

http://image60.webshots.com/160/6/2/7/448360207XwaLZk_ph.jpg

http://image50.webshots.com/50/5/50/44/448355044YLCuuZ_ph.jpg

http://image64.webshots.com/164/6/16/14/448361614VTADrS_ph.jpg

[leginheli]

Good photo's.

I see that the heli does not have the floats on. When I was with Acher we did not go out with out the floats. It will be interesting to see what the Accident Investigators have to say about the lack of floatation especially considering that the winchman might have been rescued had the floats been activated.

Any thoughts?

[Latent Heat]

Leginheli, good point!

With floatation gear the heli would not have gone down but instead would have hung around the surface which would have giving the crew member a good chance of being pulled out.

The can just fell over and the worms are crawling......

[tyrant]

Hi Guys, Just as a matter of interest, why would they take the flotation gear off, does it need to be serviced and checked at regular intervals. I only ask coz i took a couple of pics of her in Durban in early July with the floats on?

[leginheli]

Yes, the floats do have to be checked and serviced on a regular basis, however if I remember correctly we always had a spare set for such occasions.

[Miragepilote]

The pilot is a free diver and SAAF trained, why did the helicopter need floats??

:confused: