Helicopter Carrying 18 Crashes in Freezing Sea off Canada Coast

A helicopter carrying 18 people has crashed into the sea off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. Photo by thesun.co.uk

One person has been confirmed dead and one survivor has been found after a helicopter carrying 18 people crashed into the sea off Canada's east coast late Thursday. An intensive air and sea search was called off after 24 hours, with emergency services saying it would be impossible to find other survivors in the icy waters.

The S-92 Sikorsky helicopter crashed 87km south-east of St John's in the province of Newfoundland, after reporting technical problems. It was carrying workers to two oil platforms off Newfoundland's coast.

The helicopter sent out a distress call in mild weather, said Rick Burt of charter company Cougar Helicopters, the aircraft's operator, cited by the BBC.

"The aircraft was on its way out, experienced technical problems, radioed in that it was turning around and that was the last that we had communication," Mr Burt told a news conference.

The one survivor found was rescued by a civilian helicopter also operated by Cougar, and taken to hospital in St John's.

A "debris field" had been identified on the surface of the sea, Maj Denis McGuire, from a rescue co-ordination centre in Halifax, was quoted as saying.

Two empty life rafts were found amid the flotsam.

 

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