2 Hurt in Chopper Crash in Gulf of Mexico Near Galveston

A helicopter crash on takeoff from a platform in the Gulf of Mexico left two men injured and the aircraft in the water.

A spokesman for Broussard, La.,-based Rotorcraft Leasing Co., which serves the oil and gas industry, said Nov. 2 the cause of the crash is being investigated.

Operations director Gerry Golden told the Associated Press that the accident site is about 75 miles southeast of Galveston.

Golden says the helicopter was bound for another platform and people nearby witnessed the crash Sunday morning. He says the chopper’s floats deployed and a boat helped rescue the pilot and the passenger.

A Coast Guard helicopter was dispatched to transport the pair to the University of Texas Medical Branch for treatment of back injuries.

Golden says both men sustained non-life threatening injuries and remained hospitalized for observation.