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Incident

SOCAR issues statement on helicopter crash

13 July 2009 10:41 (UTC +04:00)

AZAL helicopter carrying the SOCAR workers crashed over the Azerbaijani sector of Caspian Sea at about a6.30 on July 12, SOCAR told APA-Economics. The helicopter crashed after takeoff from the fourth bloc of 28 May oil and gas production office in Chilov island to fly to the 13th bloc. There were three crew members â€“ Commander Alik Aliyev, second flight engineer Vitalik Nekrasov, flight mechanic Agil Azimov, as well as diesel engineer of the oil and gas production officeâ€™s compressor unit Aydin Talibov, crane operator Victor Maskalenko, who was invited by SOCAR from Korvet Company and diver of the Caspian Diving-Rescue Department Rafig Nehmatov. SOCAR oil fleet ships immediately began rescue operations in the area and rescued Aliyev, Nekrasov, Azimov and Talibov. They were rescued by the crew of Magic ship and immediately taken away to the AZAL helicopter airfield in Zabrat and hospitalized by the doctors of Central Oilmen Hospital. Two of them left hospital after the checkup and third man stayed there for additional checkup.
Searches for Maskalenko and Nehmatov are going on. Helicopters, ships and diving group of SOCAR, AZAL, and Ministry of Emergency Situations were involved in the rescue operations. The area where Mi-8 helicopter crashed was already identified and relevant technical equipments and experts were mobilized to recover its wreckages. The state commission was established with the participation of the State Civil Aviation Administration to investigate the causes of the crash.