ONE PILOT AND COCKPIT OF PAWAN HANS HELICOPTER RECOVERED

Mumbai, 09 November 2015

The ill fated Pavan Hans Helicopter (of Dauphin make) AS 365 N3 was located on the sea bed, in a joint operation coordinated by the Coast Guard Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC Mumbai), with resources from Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, ONGC, Pawan Hans and resource agencies of ONGC. The cockpit with body of one pilot was recovered late evening on 09 November 15.

The wreckage of the ill-fated helicopter has been recovered in few parts at a depth of 75 meters and search/ recovery of the remaining parts and one pilot is in progress.


The whole operation was coordinated with synergy amongst all stakeholders; Coast Guard MRCC Mumbai working as nodal centre for planning, coordination and execution with all resources manning 24 X 7. The assets were judiciously and extensively utilised to obviate loosing precious time.  

The helicopter had met with the accident on 04 November 15 and promptly the Indian Coast Guard, Indian Naval Ships and OSVs of ONGC were pressed into the service. 

Based on a request received from the Pavan Hans Ltd, Indian Navy had deployed two vessels for assistance in location of the submerged debris/fuselage.  The Sonar searches were undertaken by the ships of Indian Navy as well as MSV Fugro Mapper since 05 November 15 supported by the surface search by Naval and Coast Guard Ships & Dornier aircraft as well as other vessels of ONGC .
         

The Underwater Locator Beacon as well as the sonar inputs were thoroughly analysed and diving was undertaken in various locations for the past four days. Finally, on the input of the INS Makar and MSV Fugro Mapper, diving by PSV Samudra Sevak led to the location of the ill-fated helicopter wreckage.
         
The search for the other pilot and salvage remaining wreckages is in progress.