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Source:
By ANDREW ALPHONSE in TARI
Picture:

http://www.thenational.com.pg/sites/...jpg?1276052141

A US$20 MILLION (K56.4 million) twin-rotor Columbia helicopter was nearly razed by a frustrated Hides gas field landowner on Monday.
The arsonist managed to cut the security wire fence to gain entry into Oil Search Ltd (OSL) Nogoli camp at about 7.30pm.
He then climbed into the helicopter through the rear opening and emptied a kerosene container, including in the cockpit.
He then lit a match stick to start a fire.
The light and smoke alerted security guards who rushed into the helicopter to put out the flames.
Tari liquefied natural gas project police security operations commander Jim Namora said Wabag-based police mobile squad (MS) 12 commander chief Sgt Joseph Ka’a responded swiftly when alerted by the camp’s security.
Namora said Ka’a, who was then leading a section of the MS12 on motor patrol near the camp, helped put out the fire.
They then launched a dawn raid on a house near the camp yesterday and picked up the suspected arsonist.
“He was arrested and charged with one count of being unlawfully in the camp premises and another for committing arson.”
Namora said more charges would be considered according to the Civil Aviation Act.
The suspect told police during interrogation that he was “unhappy” with OSL and how OSL conducted its operations in Hides, and, therefore, decided to burn the aircraft to show his frustration.
He was flown to Moro to be locked up in police custody pending a court appearance.
An expatriate manager at Hides commended police for their quick action in saving the twin-engine Chinook Colombia helicopter.
The source said OSL would have lost more than K100 million if the aircraft was razed.
The aircraft, owned by Pacific Helicopters Ltd, is contracted by OSL to fly in equipment and machinery for its operations at Hides, Lake Kutubu, Moran and the nearby oil and gas fields for the coming LNG.
The helicopter did not sustain any major damage.

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