The US Coast Guard has called off a search for survivors, following a helicopter crash in the Gulf of Mexico. The helicopter, operated by Rotorcraft Leasing, crashed while taking off from a Walter Oil & Gas owned offshore oil platform, about 16 km to the south of the mouth of the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River, at about 8.40 am local time on Thursday 29 December 2022. It is reported to have struck the landing pad as it took off, and subsequently to have fallen into the water.
Following an extensive search by helicopter and small boat, which discovered debris from the crash but no signs of the missing pilot or three passengers, the search was called off at 6.15 pm the same day. One of the passengers has been named as David Scarborough (36), from Lizana, Mississippi, who was returning to shore following a two week shift on the oil platform. Scarborough is survived by his wife, Lacy, and a two-year-old son, Sawyer; the couple were expecting a second child in April. The other victims of the crash have not yet been named.
This is the second crash by a Rotocraft Leasing helicopter attended by the US Coast Guard within two weeks; the first incident happened on 15 December when a helicopter with three people on board went down 25 km off the coast of Terrebonne Bay, while attempting to land on an oil platform. On that occasion all three people on board were able to escape into an inflatable raft, and were subsequently airlifted to hospital with back injuries.
The US Coast Guard also airlifted two workers from offshore oil vessels in the Gulf of Mexico to hospital in December, both also with back injuries, as well as dealing with two separate oil spill incidents.
See also...
