Helicopter crashes en route to Chevron Angola oil platform, at least four dead
Four people died and two were missing after a helicopter crashed en route to a Chevron oil platform off the Angolan coast, the U.S. oil company said on Tuesday.
The helicopter left Malongo port in Angola's Cabinda province on Monday at 1523 local time to make the short journey to the Tombua-Landana offshore oil platform but never arrived.
"The helicopter did not reach its intended destination. It was carrying five passengers and one pilot," Chevron said in a statement, adding that one of the passengers was an employee while four others were contractors.
"Extensive search and rescue activities continue for those who remain missing."
Chevron did not say if there was any impact on oil production from the crash or the search and rescue operation, which involved 19 marine vessels and three helicopters.
Angola competes with Nigeria to be Africa's largest oil exporter, shipping around 1.7 million barrels per day, mainly to Asian markets.
(Reporting by Herculano Coroado in Luanda; Additional reporting by Ron Bousso and Libby George in London; Writing by Joe Brock; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
==================== Four dead after Chevron helicopter goes missing
By Nicolas Torres -
September 27, 2016
At least four people have died after a helicopter transporting workers to an offshore Angola oil platform went missing.
According to Reuters, a helicopter departed from Malongo port on Monday around 3:30 p.m. local time to transport workers to the Tombua-Landana offshore platform.
The helicopter never arrived at the Chevron-operated platform, Reuters said.
Chevron told Reuters that four of the people aboard the helicopter died as a result of the accident.
Two other passengers are still missing.
The helicopter was carrying four contractors, one Chevron employee and a pilot when it departed from the port, located in the Cabinda province.
The company has deployed 19 marine vessels and three helicopters to conduct search and rescue operations.
Chevron did not comment on whether the search operations will impact its oil and gas activities in the area.
No further details about the incident have been disclosed.
Chevron Corporation, through its subsidiary Cabinda Gulf Oil Company, began crude production at the 100,00 barrel per day Tombua-Landana project in 2009.
The platform is located 50 miles off the coast of Angola is Block 14.
Date:
| 26-SEP-2016 | |
| Time: | 16:00 LT |
| Type: |  Bell 430 |
| Owner/operator: | Heli Malongo |
| Registration: | |
| C/n / msn: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 6 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | offshore Cabinda -
 Angola
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Non Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Malongo |
| Tômbwa-Lândana Offshore Installation |
Crashed offshore. Five pax and 1 pilot. 4 bodies recovered. 2 persons missing. 19 vessels and three helicopters deployed for search. Reported to be on contract to Chevron Angola subsidiary, Cabinda Gulf Oil Company.
Sources: https://angorussia.com/noticias/angola-noticias/helicoptero-da-heli-malongo-cai-mata-seis-pessoas-cabinda/
http://www.jn.pt/mundo/interior/helicoptero-com-seis-pessoas-a-bordo-cai-no-mar-em-angola-5411041.html
http://m.redeangola.info/helicoptero-despenha-se-no-mar-de-cabinda/
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-chevron-helicopter-angola-idUSKCN11X139
Heli Malongo Aviação e Serviços de Angola, Lda is an air charter operator headquartered in Luanda, Angola, which offers onshore and offshore flights in support of the oil industry in Angola from its base at Cabinda Airport.
ProfileAt the 2008 Farnborough Air Show, Heli Malongo signed a deal with the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation for the supply of three Sikorsky S-76C++. This marked the first time Heli Malongo had ordered Sikorsky helicopters. The airline made the purchase in order to set up Angola's first search and rescue service, allowing the company to further support the burgeoning oil industry in Angola.[2] The three helicopters were delivered to Heli Malongo at a ceremony in Coatesville, Pennsylvania on 20 January 2011.[3]