Five Killed in BHP Helicopter Crash in Angola

BHP Billiton confirmed a helicopter crash in which five people have died in Angola. The crash occurred late Friday afternoon approximately 80km from the Alto Cuilo Camp, a diamonds exploration facility in north eastern Angola.

Two helicopters struck bad weather as they were transporting personnel to the Alto Cuilo Camp. They were forced to land, taking off when the weather cleared.

Shortly thereafter communication between the two helicopters was lost. The first helicopter tried to re-establish communication with the second, and when it was not able to do so, returned to the agreed rendezvous point where they had taken off after the storm. The second helicopter remained there overnight and at daybreak Saturday morning, the search commenced. The wreckage of the second helicopter was located. None of the passengers had survived the crash.

One of the five was David Hopgood, Chief Operating Officer of BHP Billiton Angola. The other four are Kevin Ayre, Operations Manager of Angola Technical Services; pilot Kottie Breedt; Guy Sommerfield a British MMC and Louwrens Prinsloo, a Namibian working at Prinsloo Drilling.

All operations in Angola have been suspended and an investigation has been launched.