A helicopter takes off heading for Macao at the Macao Ferry in Sheung Wan Wednesday. Helicopter services between Hong Kong and Macao have resumed, four days after an emergency landing in Victoria Harbour. The first flight Wednesday morning carried the senior management group of Sky Shuttle, which operates the service, along with a representative of the helicopter's Italian manufacturer. Edmond Tang / China Daily

Initial investigatory report due within one month, allowing for bird strike as cause

Sky Shuttle is back in operation after an incident last Saturday that saw one of its helicopters ditch in Victoria Harbor. The resumption of commercial service was approved by the Civil Aviation Authority.

Eight members of the company's senior management group along with a representative from the helicopter's Italian manufacturer hopped aboard the first flight leaving Hong Kong Wednesday morning to show confidence in the service.

The flight left on schedule at 9:30 am and landed in Macao without incident.

"We have conducted a comprehensive inspection," said Cheyenne Chan, the chief executive officer of Sky Shuttle Helicopters Limited. "All the aircraft in our fleet have been checked to make sure the flight is reliable. We looked into all the engines and other components. Our helicopters are very safe now."

The shuttle helicopters will run as usual. But Chen said the company anticipates the accident will have an effect on passengers.

A Macao resident, who had flown aboard the shuttle before, said that he would not ride the helicopter again, even though it was convenient and fast. "I would not believe them any more," he said. Another man said he would not travel by helicopter even if it were free.

A loud bang was heard aboard the Sky Shuttle helicopter last Saturday, just after take-off. The chopper plunged into the sea minutes later. The pilot activated inflatable buoys and landed on the water. Thirteen passengers including two staff members were rescued after the emergency landing. No serious injuries were reported.

The crashed aircraft was lifted from the water later that day. A co-ordinated investigation involving the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Authority, its Macao counterpart and the craft's Italian manufacturer is under way.

Leung Yu-keung, deputy director-general of the authority, said the investigatory group will take apart the downed aircraft and analyze its black box. Suspect components would be sent abroad or to the helicopter's manufacturer.

The authority intends an initial report within a month. That will be followed by further investigation. A detailed report and recommendations will be published as soon as possible, the authority said.

A Hong Kong authority spokeswoman said on Monday that it was too early to speculate about the cause. Media reports said a bird strike might be one issue investigators would look into.

The HK$160 million helicopter, AugustaWestland AW139, was registered in Macao and put into service last year. Sky Shuttle owns five other aircraft of the same model. The Civil Aviation Authority ordered them grounded for inspection after the accident.

China Daily

(HK Edition 07/08/2010 page1)