POTENTIAL HELICOPTER MISHAP INVOLVING AMCIT

UNCLAS LAGOS 001527 SIPDIS STATE PLEASE PASS TO DS/IP/AF, DS/IP/OSAC, DS/IP/ITA LONDON AND PARIS PASS TO AFRICA WATCHERS KABUL PASS TO SROSS DIA/J2 PASS TO GHAYES SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CASC ASEC EPET PGOV NI SUBJECT: POTENTIAL HELICOPTER MISHAP INVOLVING AMCIT ¶1. (SBU) Summary: According to preliminary but credible reports, a Pan African Airlines helicopter with an American citizen and three other people on board lost radio contact at 2:30 a.m. local time after leaving a deepwater oil rig. Air and surface searches are being conducted but thus far there has been no contact with or sighting of the helicopter. Prior to losing contact the helicopter apparently reported mechanical difficulties. According to our best information, the Amcit on board was one of the helicopter pilots. Pan African's parent company, Air Logistics, has gone to the Amcit's home and has remained with the family during the crisis. There is no indication of any foul play. Post is tracking the incident and working to confirm details. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) Chevron has reported to post that a Pan African Airlines medevac helicopter with two pilots picked up an injured Nigerian employee of Transocean, Inc. and another passenger from the Setco deepwater rig early this morning. (Transocean is drilling a deepwater well for Chevron at the Setco rig.) Chevron reported that the helicopter was headed to Port Harcourt but signaled it was returning to the rig apparently due to mechanical problems. The last radio message from the helicopter was received at 2:30 a.m. local time. ¶3. (SBU) Pan African has reported that one of the two pilots was an American. Pan African's parent company, Air Logistics, has gone to the Amcit's home and has remained with the family during the crisis. ¶4. (SBU) We have been informed that air and surface searches are being conducted. The Nigerian government is not actively involved in the searches, but Chevron reports that the upstream subsidiary of NNPC has been notified of the incident. Chevron reports that there is no indication of criminal activity. BROWNE