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Federal investigators probe crash of helicopter bound for oil platform
Federal officials yesterday were investigating why a helicopter bound for an offshore oil platform crashed in Louisiana's marshlands, killing eight and critically injuring another.
- AP
- Published: 23:35 January 5, 2009
Houma, Louisiana: Federal officials yesterday were investigating why a helicopter bound for an offshore oil platform crashed in Louisiana's marshlands, killing eight and critically injuring another.
The helicopter, operated by PHI Inc, crashed shortly after taking off on Sunday afternoon from the company's base in Amelia, company spokesman Richard Rovinelli said.
He said the helicopter was carrying two pilots and seven passengers when it went down in the marshy Bayou Penchant area about 161km from New Orleans. The victims have not been identified by name.
National Transportation Safety Board officials were arriving yesterday to investigate the cause of the crash, Rovinelli said.
He did not know the type of helicopter or its exact destination.
The Coast Guard assisted Terrebonne Parish sheriff's deputies in recovering the dead and rescuing the unidentified survivor, Petty Officer Jaclyn Young said.
A sheriff's office spokesman did not return a phone call seeking comment early on Monday.
Critical condition
Young said the survivor was in critical condition at Ochsner Medical Facility in suburban New Orleans.
Lafayette-based PHI provides helicopter services to oil and gas platforms that dot Louisiana's coast.
It flies workers between their work sites and coastal flight bases.
PHI also flies medical helicopters.
In June, a PHI Air Medical helicopter crashed in the Sam Houston National Forest of Texas, killing the pilot, a paramedic, a nurse and a patient.
The crew had agreed to transport the patient from Huntsville to Houston, after another helicopter company abandoned the mission saying that cloud cover was too low, making visibility poor.
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