Chopper crashes near Bombay High, pilots missing

Rescuers have sighted a door of the chopper, about 82 nautical miles off the south Mumbai coast, sources said. The Indian navy and coast guard have been mobilised to conduct a search and rescue operation.

Refuting initial reports that the pilots were practising night landing on the platform, naval spokesperson Cdr Rahul Sinha said: "The helicopter fell into the sea".

"We don't know the reason for that", ONGC Director Offshore T K Sengupta.

ONGC hires Pawan Hans helicopters to ferry its officials from Mumbai to its offshore oilfield.

"We don't know the reason for that", Sengupta told the Press Trust.

Juhu air traffic control (ATC) officials confirmed that a Pawan Hans chopper carrying the pilot and the co-pilot went missing near Bombay High.

In order to augment the search, one night capable helicopter, Seaking 'C ' was also launched to join the rescue efforts. A Navy release said the crash occurred during night landing practice.

ANI reported that destroyer INS Mumbai and two other war vessels were dispatched to the area to look for survivors. "There were no passangers on board".

Kumar added that the Dauphin N3 having the capacity to carry 12 passengers and two pilots was manufactured in 2011 and registered in 2012.

The incident occurred around 7.30 pm.

No oil and gas installation was damaged in the accident.