The ill fated Pawan Hans Helicopter (of Dauphin make) AS 365 N3 was located on the sea bed after it crashed and sank about 80 miles west of Mumbai on November 4, near the offshore oilfield Bombay High in the Arabian Sea.
In a joint operation coordinated by the Coast Guard Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC Mumbai), with resources from Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, ONGC, Pawan Hans and resource agencies of ONGC, the cockpit with the body of one pilot was recovered late evening on November 9.
According to the Indian Navy, the wreckage of the helicopter has been recovered in few parts at a depth of 75 meters and search and recovery of the remaining parts and one pilot is in progress.
The Navy sent two vessels to support the search efforts at the location of the submerged debris. The Navy also started sonar searches on November 5, assisted by MSV Fugro Mapper. The efforts were supported by the surface search by Naval and Coast Guard Ships and Dornier aircraft, as well as other ONGC vessels.
The search for the other pilot and salvage remaining wreckages is in progress.
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Image: Pawan Hans