Mumbai, June 28

A Pawan Hans helicopter ditched into the Arabian Sea waters close to the ONGC’s Sagar Kiran oil-rig, off Mumbai High Fields, round 175 km off the nation’s industrial capital, official sources mentioned right here on Tuesday.

The chopper was carrying a minimum of seven passengers, reportedly ONGC staffers, and two pilots and a serious operation comprising the ONGC, Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and offshore provide vessel, was launched to rescue them.

Earlier, 5 individuals have been rescued from the sea-water and inside the subsequent couple of hours by 1400 hours, all 9 have been safely saved, mentioned officers.

The rescue operation comprised ONGC’s offshore provide vessel Malviya-16 and a ship from the oil rig Sagar Kiran, whereas the Indian Coast Guard deployed its helicopters to drop rafts close to the chopper and the Indian Navy despatched an ALH and a Sea King chopper within the efforts.

The reason behind the emergency touchdown on water, whether or not associated to climate or technical points, just isn’t instantly clear and additional particulars are awaited, based on ONGC officers in Mumbai and New Delhi. IANS