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Helicopter carrying four people missing off Rio’s coast

20 August 2011 02:37 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. A helicopter carrying four people disappeared during a trip between a Petrobras offshore platform and an airport in southeast Brazil, local media reported late Friday, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

The helicopter belongs to charter company Senior and was at Petrobras’ service. The aircraft had taken off from Petrobras’ P-12 platform, in the Enchova field, in the Campos Basin, off the coast of Rio de Janeiro state.

Petrobras said the helicopter’s pilot contacted air traffic control late in the afternoon, requesting authorization for an emergency landing at the Macae airport.

When the helicopter did not show up, the company activated an emergency plan and sent boats to the region to start searches.

According to Petrobras, the Brazilian Air Force and Navy are also helping in the search efforts. The names of the helicopter’s occupants have yet to be disclosed.