Usa, elicottero di soccorso precipita in mare: 6 dispersi
Un elicottero della Gardia Costiera statunitense è precipitato davanti all'Alaska, mentre era impegnato in un'operazione di soccorso per recuperare i membri dell'equipaggio di un'imbarcazione battente bandiera malese in difficoltà. Sei persone che erano a bordo risultano disperse. Stando a quanto riferito da un portavoce, l'elicottero aveva già tratto in salvo 18 dei 26 membri dell'equipaggio della Selendang Ayu quando è precipitato, con dieci persone a bordo, 4 delle quali appartenenti alla guardia costiera. Un altro elicottero è immediatamente intervenuto recuperando quattro dei passeggeri; nessuna traccia degli altri sei.
Fonte: Messaggero Veneto - 09/12/2004
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Six missing after Coast Guard copter crashes
A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crashed Wednesday off Alaska's Aleutian Islands while attempting to rescue crew members from a derelict Malaysian-flagged cargo ship, dumping 10 people into the frigid waters of the northern Pacific Ocean, a Coast Guard spokesman said.
According to Cmdr. Jeff Carter, an HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter had already evacuated 18 of the 26-member crew from the Selendang Ayu when it went down near Unalaska Island.
"Another helicopter (HH-65 Dolphin) from the Coast Guard cutter Alex Haley, which is on scene, picked up four people and have taken them to Dutch Harbor for medical treatment, their condition is unknown," a Coast Guard statement said. "Six people are still unaccounted for."
It's believed four of the people on board the helicopter that crashed were Coast Guard rescuers.
Conditions in the area are turbulent with 35-knot winds and 5-foot seas with swells to 20 feet, according to Carter.
The 738 foot-long Selendang Ayu, carrying soybeans, lost power to its main engine Tuesday and has since broken in two, near fertile fisheries and a sea lion habitat. The ship has 500,000 gallons of fuel on board and authorities are concerned about a possible spill.
Fonte: CNN - 09/12/2004