Safety

Investigation launched into fatal Dubai helicopter crash

By Kate Sarsfield

An investigation has been launched by the Dubai police and civil aviation authority in to the cause of a fatal crash on 3 September of a helicopter on an oil rig off the coast of Dubai.

Petrofac, which operates the Dubai government's offshore oil fields, says an Aerogulf-owned Bell 212 carrying two crew members and five passengers, was engaged in a routine flight within the Rashid field. During take-off at around 20.20 local time the helicopter crashed on to the deck of the Maersk-owned drilling rig, around 70km (38nm) from the Dubai coast. The aircraft then broke up and plummeted into the sea. There were no survivors.

"All operations on the Rashid field have been suspended and the platform and drilling rig have been secured," Petrofac says, adding that the victims were all foreign contractors.