At least two people were killed and 25 were missing after a helicopter crashed off India's western coast today as it ferried employees of a state-run oil company from an oil rig.
A spokeswoman for India's Oil and Natural Gas Corp, which was using the helicopter, said three people were rescued after the aircraft plunged into the sea three minutes into the flight.
A total of 29 people were on board, including 22 ONGC employees, three contract workers and four crew. Indian navy, coast guard and ONGC personnel were searching for survivors.
The reason for the crash is not known.
The aircraft, an MI-172 Russian helicopter, belonged to the privately owned MESCO Airlines and was chartered by ONGC, another spokesman for the company said.
ONGC, India's largest exploration company, produces two-thirds of its oil at its Bombay High offshore fields.