1 killed as chopper crashes in Cox’s Bazar

One person was killed and four others were injured as a chopper of Meghna Aviation Limited crashed in Ukhia upazila of Cox’s Bazar this morning.

Deceased Shah Alam, 32, hailed from Rajapur Tetulia village of Kaliganj upazila in Satkhira.

He worked as an accountant at Ogilvy Bangladesh, an advertising and brand communications agency, of Mahakhali area in Dhaka city, our Cox’s Bazar correspondent reports quoting Omar Faruk, a sub-inspector of Sadar Model Police Station.

The helicopter, carrying five people, including the pilot, crashed around 10:30am in Redu Khal area near Inani sea-beach of Ukhia upazila, police said.

“We rescued the five and rushed them to Ukhia Upazila Health Complex,” said Abul Khayer, officer-in-charge of Ukhia Police Station.

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Victim Shah Alam succumbed to his injuries after he was shifted to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital, he added.

The injured people took primary treatment from the Ukhia Upazila Health Complex.

The reason behind the crash is yet to be ascertained.

Fire fighters rushed to the spot and stopped the fuel leaking from the helicopter after the helicopter crashed, said Abdul Malek, deputy assistant director of Fire Service and Civil Defence in Cox’s Bazar.

It plunged into shallow water but surfaced when the water receded during ebb tide.

Wing Commander (retd) Shafiqul Islam was the pilot of the chopper, said the official.

According to the official website of Meghna Aviation, the chopper is Robinson R66, a turbine-powered helicopter designed and built by Robinson Helicopter Company.

Saiful Alam, flight operation officer of Meghna Aviation Limited (MAL), told The Daily Star that a six-member team including officials of Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh and MAL, has already reached the spot to investigate the incident.

The reason behind the crash will be known after completion of the investigation, he said.