Bell Helicopter Ready to Support Authorities after Offshore Crash

John Boltz  |  October 03, 2016

On September 26, six colleagues from the oil industry (including the pilot) had left their homes to carry out another oilfield work related mission involving an helicopter trip to an oil platform in Cabinda-Angola. Around 5pm of the same day, information were being shared on social networks that an aircraft accident had occurred where at the time the wreckage and the occupants had not been located. It was a work in which the 5 occupants and the pilot were trying to give their best contribution to the development of this country, believing that all safety conditions had been safeguarded and that the worst would never happen. What was meant to be a normal working day for the 5 Angolans and South African pilot, became the greatest tragedy involving a helicopter in the oil sector in Angola. Contrary to what has been propagated by the media, so far, it was only found 4 out of the 6 occupants of the aircraft, in which do not include Walter Francisco and the pilot James Horsley with Angolan and South African nationalities respectively. In the case of an accident involving the oil sector, which is the largest contributor to the Angolas economy, losing qualified senior staff which compromises the Angolanization process with some of them in leading positions and with the potential of replacing some expatriate and aware of the effort that is being undertaken in the search, however, we would like them to be more effective so that in case of still finding them alive the relatives of our fellow / brother Walter Francisco as well as our South African brother James Horsley may have visual contact with them regardless of the outcome. As oil industry workers, we are also exposed to the same risks and having families depending directly or indirectly on us, we feel the pain that the families of the dead and missing are currently going through. For this we would like to acknowledge the effort made by all the parties involved in the search and would also like to appeal to expand the search, in land and sea shore, not only in the area of ​​Cabinda-Angola but extensively to the Congo-Brazzaville and Gabon, as those nearby areas are normally affected by natural ocean current, therefore there is a need of more technical, personal, and all the expertise national and international as soon as possible to find the two missing persons. We hope that the four families can be given the respect and attention due to these irreparable losses. Once again, We appreciate the efforts of all so far, but we would ask the government entities and Chevron for more press conferences with updates on the progress of the investigations. Share this message to as many people as possible to encourage the personnel and specialists who are fully dedicated on the search and that this also touch the heart of the local and international community to provide further support with specialized equipment and specialists and to intensify the search to locate the 2 missing personnel.

John Boltz  |  October 03, 2016

On September 26, six colleagues from the oil industry (including the pilot) had left their homes to carry out another oilfield work related mission involving an helicopter trip to an oil platform in Cabinda-Angola. Around 5pm of the same day, information were being shared on social networks that an aircraft accident had occurred where at the time the wreckage and the occupants had not been located. It was a work in which the 5 occupants and the pilot were trying to give their best contribution to the development of this country, believing that all safety conditions had been safeguarded and that the worst would never happen. What was meant to be a normal working day for the 5 Angolans and South African pilot, became the greatest tragedy involving a helicopter in the oil sector in Angola. Contrary to what has been propagated by the media, so far, it was only found 4 out of the 6 occupants of the aircraft, in which do not include Walter Francisco and the pilot James Horsley with Angolan and South African nationalities respectively. In the case of an accident involving the oil sector, which is the largest contributor to the Angolas economy, losing qualified senior staff which compromises the Angolanization process with some of them in leading positions and with the potential of replacing some expatriate and aware of the effort that is being undertaken in the search, however, we would like them to be more effective so that in case of still finding them alive the relatives of our fellow / brother Walter Francisco as well as our South African brother James Horsley may have visual contact with them regardless of the outcome. As oil industry workers, we are also exposed to the same risks and having families depending directly or indirectly on us, we feel the pain that the families of the dead and missing are currently going through. For this we would like to acknowledge the effort made by all the parties involved in the search and would also like to appeal to expand the search, in land and sea shore, not only in the area of ​​Cabinda-Angola but extensively to the Congo-Brazzaville and Gabon, as those nearby areas are normally affected by natural ocean current, therefore there is a need of more technical, personal, and all the expertise national and international as soon as possible to find the two missing persons. We hope that the four families can be given the respect and attention due to these irreparable losses. Once again, We appreciate the efforts of all so far, but we would ask the government entities and Chevron for more press conferences with updates on the progress of the investigations. Share this message to as many people as possible to encourage the personnel and specialists who are fully dedicated on the search and that this also touch the heart of the local and international community to provide further support with specialized equipment and specialists and to intensify the search to locate the 2 missing personnel.