Helicopter Crashes into Sea Offshore UAE

AeroGulf Services has revealed that one of its helicopters has crashed into the sea offshore the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

“AeroGulf Services regret to inform that one of our Bell 212 helicopters crashed into the sea off the coast of the UAE at 20:07 on September 7, 2023,” a statement posted on the company’s website on Sunday noted.  

“The helicopter was conducting routine training operations between Al Maktoum International Airport and an offshore rig,” the statement added.

“The helicopter was carrying two crew members and no passengers onboard. Sadly, we can confirm that both crew members have perished,” it continued.

In the statement, AeroGulf Services said specially trained personnel have been provided to offer support and assistance to the families and friends of crew members.

“AeroGulf is continuing to work with the authorities to recover the wreckage and investigate the cause of the accident,” the statement noted.

AeroGulf is the first commercial helicopter operator in Dubai, initially founded with the purpose of supporting Dubai Petroleum’s oil and gas operations in the Emirate of Dubai, the company notes on its website.

Established in Dubai in 1976, AeroGulf Services provides individually tailored helicopter support on a long or short-term lease, or daily/ad hoc basis, in support of the oil and gas industry, construction, surveys, aerial photography and filming, air taxi, load-lifting/cargo, and medical evacuation, the company’s site highlights.

AeroGulf also continues to provide frequent and ongoing aerial work support for a variety of companies and governments throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, according to its site.

The business is based at Dubai World Central (Al Maktoum) International Airport near Jebel Ali and currently operates a fleet comprising of Leonardo AW139, Bell 212, and Bell 206 helicopters, AeroGulf’s site points out.

“For more than 40 years, one of AeroGulf’s primary activities has involved the provision of professional around the clock helicopter support to the offshore oil and gas industry in the MENA region,” AeroGulf states on its site.

“365 days a year, AeroGulf provides helicopter support under instrument flight rules (IFR) and visual flight rules (VFR) day and night to offshore platforms, installations, and vessels. To ensure the utmost quality of service, AeroGulf’s fully IFR-equipped offshore fleet of helicopters is always maintained and operated to the highest international standards,” the company’s site adds.

“AeroGulf’s versatile range of leasing options allows customers to benefit from the option that best suits their regional and specific aircraft requirements, including a turnkey ACMI option with full crew, maintenance, and insurance support when required,” the site continues, noting that AeroGulf operates in full compliance with current UN-Mandated sanctions and restrictions.

According to its site, AeroGulf counts several oil and gas companies among its clientele, including DanaGas, Chevron, Crescent Petroleum, Masirah Oil Limited, DNO, Dubai Petroleum.

The UAE produced 3.364 million barrels of crude oil and condensate per day last year, according to the Energy Institute’s first, and the overall 72nd, statistical review of world energy, which was released earlier this year. That figure marked an 11.5 percent year on year growth and 4.1 percent of global crude oil and condensate production in 2022, the statistical review of world energy showed.

Since the discovery of oil in the UAE, the country has become a modern state with a high standard of living, OPEC notes on its website. The country is one of the 13 members of the OPEC group, having joined back in 1967.

The value of the country’s petroleum exports reached $54.59 billion in 2021, according to the OPEC site, which shows that the UAE’s proven crude oil reserves at the time stood at 111 billion barrels.

To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com