Unocal recovers last of bodies

Petroleum News

Unocal said March 30 that the remaining two passengers have been recovered from the Era Aviation helicopter that went down in the Gulf of Mexico March 23 en route to a drillship working for Unocal. The 10 on board included the two Era crew members, four employees of Halliburton, one from Dril-Quip, two from Offshore Energy Services and one Unocal employee.

Four bodies were recovered on the surface March 24. Unocal and Era continued the search, and found four bodies March 26 in the wreckage on the seafloor and recovered them. Unocal said March 30 that company search crews have recovered the remaining two passengers.

The company extended its sympathies to families, friends and colleagues of the crew and passengers who were lost, and said it continues to work with the National Transportation Safety Board in further search and investigation efforts.