Chopper forced to land in rice field

A HELICOPTER transporting offshore workers was forced to make a “precautionary” landing in Manzanilla yesterday morning. The 9Y-twin engine medium-sized helicopter, owned by Bristow Caribbean Ltd (BCL) landed in a rice field at Kernaham Village. The helicopter was transporting ten employees of several offshore companies and two aircraft crew members from an off-shore oil platform off the Mayaro coast. It was heading to Piarco airport when the pilot decided to put down the craft at Kernaham Village.

Bristow company official Adita Ramhibsingh told Newsday the landing was a precautionary measure and not an emergency one, because the passengers and crew were not faced with any danger. According to a media release from Bristow, the pilot noticed a warning indicator light in the cockpit. The release stated, “A warning indicator light came on and the crew carried out an emergency check. However, in the interest of safety, the BCL crew elected to make a precautionary landing to further assess the situation.”

Mayaro police were immediately informed about the landing and a party of police officers went to the rice field within ten minutes of the landing. The offshore workers were shuttled out of the rice field. Officials from the Trinidad and Tobago Civil Aviation Authority (TTCAA) conducted a thorough check of the aircraft. The release stated the helicopter was cleared for takeoff and returned to the airport.