Sky Shuttle AW139 ditches in HK Harbour
 

Just got the phone call, East Asia Airlines (Sky Shuttle) has ditched a 139 into Hong Kong Harbour. Sounds like it occurred immediately after departure from the Shun Tak heliport. Standby for further.

JW

And here's one of the first confirmations: Hong Kong police confirm helicopter crash, 13 people slightly injured

looking out my window.. can't see anything.

Here is a detailed view of the helipad on Google Maps:
shun tak helipad - Google Maps

Info starting to come in, crew has reportedly indicated it was NOT an engine failure/malfunction, but rather a tail rotor/tail boom related problem which resulted in the ditching.

JW

Looks like it went turtle. Floats inflated but the right front seems missing.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp...Lvdn-KA?size=l

just saw it drifting down the harbour :(

If all out safe then its seems likely that the pilots got it down level and then a swell (which gets big in the harbour) turned it over... great job from low level in a tight bit of the harbour...

Good result!
I just hope that none of the crew or pax swallowed any of that foetid water.

Mmmm ...

Well this has got my attention .... the pic above seems to show the T'boom is still in situ .... we await further news with interest ....


:eek:

spinwing

Yes, I imagine it has. Latest word is severe vibrations happening (from the back end). With the way the HK press works, I'm sure we'll be seeing more photographic evidence in the days ahead.

JW

I am at the ifc and saw plenty of people with big cameras and tripods an hour ago (and a couple of private helicopters from HKAC on "sight seeing" in the harbor, including a red robbo 44 just now)...

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/h...K/P1010676.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/h...K/P1010670.jpg

someone better get a tow on it soon or it is heading out to sea!

"Chopper Plunges into Sea"
 

From RTHK:

"Thirteen people have been rescued after a helicopter crashed into the seas after attempting an emergency landing off Shun Tak Centre in Sheung Wan. The helicopter, which belonged to a private company, Sky Shuttle, was on its way to Macau when the accident happened. Two crew members and 11 passengers on board were all rescued, and no one sustained serious injuries. However, six passengers had to been sent to Queen Mary Hospital for treatment. The helicopter has been located, and rescue vessels are still at the scene of the crash. A spokeswoman from the company said it's believed that the helicopter had encountered engine failure."

Glad all are safe :ok:

"Chopper plunges into sea"
 

Were they "plucked to safety" by those brave boys from GFS or a passing Star Ferry?

No matter what happened to the Aircraft, It looks like the Crew did a great job getting themselves and 11 Pax out.
Well done boys :ok::ok::ok:

11 claps of thanks, from 11 lucky pax....:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

There are so many web cams pointing at that piece of real estate that there's bound to be a video or 2 of the events unfolding...
Are they still flying, or has the entire fleet been grounded?
No doubt the skill of the crew and their simulator training had much to do with all surviving the ditching.

Skyshuttle suspended flight operations directly after the helicopter went down.

News reported that the pilots heard a big bang in the back and a "warning noise" came on, so they decided to put it down on the water. Eye witness confirmed this, first something that sounded like a bang then the helicopter descended on to the water.

English Pearl News at 7:30:

I see all the usual faces popping up in this thread. :)

There had been earlier reports of the chopper spinning as it landed but latest media reports talk about a controlled descent into water. Due to the "Big Bang" theory, some fellow pilots are speculating there might have been a tail rotor birdstrike. Press footage show a lack of TR blades as it was salvaged but this could've been due to impacting the water.

I would be surprised that a new (< 1 year old) engine suffered fatigue failure but the "big bang" could equally have been caused by disintegrating turbine blades (for whatever reason) exiting the turbine housing (just speculating again). If there was no loss of height, I doubt the pilot would've put it into the water.

Whatever happened, it was a lucky escape. Credit to the Aussie captain and Macanese co-jo. :ok: