Sunday, July 4, 2010

At around noon yesterday, a Heli-Express helicopter heading towards Macau crashed into the sea near Hong Kong’s Shun Tak Centre with thirteen on board. They were only slightly injured.

Witnesses say the aircraft let out a loud ‘bang’, with no flames, then slowly descended to the sea. After a while, it sank completely. Shipping was unaffected. The New Zealand Herald quoted Hong Kong’s Cable TV as saying that the rotorcraft performed an emergency landing on water after experiencing mechanical problems. The Ming Pao news agency also reported mechanical problems.

Marine police, fire services, the Civil Aviation Department, and the Marine Department immediately sent rescue ships to the scene, which is between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsular, inside Victoria Harbour. All passengers were safely rescued and sent to the Queen Mary Hospital for treatment.

The involved helicopter is an AgustaWestland AW139.