NEW ORLEANS — The Coast Guard aircrews rescued two crewmembers from a helicopter crash approximately 46 nautical miles offshore Morgan City, Louisiana, Wednesday.
U.S. Coast Guard 8th District watchstanders received a call at 6:35 p.m. from Westwind Helicopter Inc. personnel who confirming a company helicopter crash offshore Morgan City in the Gulf of Mexico. The crashed helicopter was fliyng with three people aboard.
Coast Guard Sector New Orleans watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast to mariners while District Eight watchstanders coordinated the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-60T Jayhawk Medium-Range Recovery Helicopter aircrew and diverted an Aviation Training Center Mobile (ATC Mobile) HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew to assist.
An oil rig crew boat, Captain Ron, responded to the UMIB, arrived on scene, and reported two crewmembers in a life raft.
Two of the three crewmembers were hoisted and transferred to University Medical Center New Orleans in critical condition.
U.S. Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans video.
U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area.
U.S. Coast Guard Heartland.
Department of Homeland Security.
The MH-60 Jayhawk aircrew hoisted the two crewmembers, who were then transferred to University Medical Center New Orleans.
The body of the third crewmember was located in the submerged helicopter.
The two rescued crewmembers were last reported to be in critical condition.
«We’re grateful we were able to save two crewmembers but saddened from the loss of the third,» said Lt. Cmdr. Sean DiGeorge, a District Eight search and rescue mission coordinator, «We’d like to extend our deepest sympathies to the crewmembers’ family and friends during this difficult time.»
The cause of the incident is under investigation.
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–USCG–
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