Cormorant CH149908
20 September 2004
Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland
The occurrence crew was tasked to conduct an operational rescue mission for six crewmembers of the motor vessel “Ryan's Commander” that had declared an emergency and were abandoning ship. Once at the scene, the life raft was quickly spotted and the crew proceeded immediately with the hoisting of the survivors. During the ensuing water / raft hoisting operation, the inboard hoist failed with the Search and Rescue (SAR) technician team leader (STL) in the life raft. The hoist was successfully reset and the STL was recovered with a minor injury.
The crew then switched to the outboard hoist and the second SAR technician, the SAR team member (STM), was lowered to the raft. The crew successfully extracted one victim who was hoisted back and secured inside the aircraft. The STM then proceeded back to the raft for the extraction of t other victims. Once in the water, the second hoist failed. The hoist operator proceeded to reset the hoist switch using the Crew Hoist Control Box and lost visual contact with the STM in the water. At the same time the pilot moved the aircraft forward, fearing that the tail might collide with a nearby cliff.
Concerned about the safety of the ST, the hoist operator then called for a “Cable Cut”, a standard procedure in case of loss of visual contact with the STM. The inboard hoist cable was first cut inadvertently. The outboard hoist cable was cut shortly thereafter leaving the STM in the water. The STM was recovered using a wire mesh basket attached to the helicopter by a rope. He was lifted from the water and slung to the top of a nearby cliff where the helicopter rescue operation was terminated. In addition, to the minor injuries to the SAR Techs, two of the six crewmembers of “Ryan's Commander” lost their lives. The aircraft sustained “D” category damage.
The investigation is focusing on the design and operation of the hoists, as well as hoisting and cable-cut procedures.
| 
