Incident Overview
A helicopter engaged in fish spotting operations for the Korean-owned tuna vessel "Fijo Gloria" crashed into the ocean approximately 17 miles from the ship. The owner of the firm operating the helicopter reported speaking at length with the ship's captain and other crew members about the accident.
Departure and Communication
The helicopter departed the ship at about 1500 hours local ship time for a fish spotting mission. Routine communications were maintained between the ship and the helicopter until they ceased around 1600 hours.
Accident Observations
Helicopters from other fishing vessels reported that the accident aircraft had crashed into the ocean. The pilots of those helicopters observed the aircraft fly into the water in a shallow descent. When the Fijo Gloria arrived at the crash site, the helicopter was found upside-down in the water.
Condition of the Helicopter
At the crash site, the right skid float was observed to have separated from the helicopter, while the left float remained attached. The cockpit and cabin area of the helicopter were reportedly undamaged.
Pilot Information
According to information obtained from British authorities, the pilot was a British national who was a former Royal Navy helicopter pilot.