from Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji (GA)

Panaji, Apr 7: The Indian Navy will seek Oil and Natural Gas Corporation’s (ONGC) expertise to salvage the wreck of Kamov-28 helicopter that had crashed mid-sea, 22 miles off Goa coast in the last week of March.
 
“We are going to hire a special vessel from ONGC and probably in the first week of May we will try to recover the full aircraft which is lying at the bottom of the sea,” vice-admiral J J Bedi, commander in chief  of western naval command, told reporters at Vasco, 40 kms away from here, on Monday afternoon.
 
The vice-admiral was briefing media after inaugurating the facility for MiG 29 K aircrafts which are being acquired from Russia and based in Goa.
 
He said that the board of inquiry into the tragic crash of Kamov-28 is in progress. All the crew members had ejected to safety during the crash.
 
Bedi said that the Indian Navy is in the process of recovering the wreck, which is already located. “We need special diverse and diving equipment to bring out the aircraft from the sea bottom,” he said referring to the assistance from ONGC.
 
“Once the aircraft is salvaged, the board of inquiry will also be able to analyse the engine and the causes and probably the clear picture would be revealed,” he added.
 
Replying to a question, the vice-admiral said that it is too early to comment on the cause of accident. “ I don’t think we should try to prejudge something… let the board of inquiry come out with its findings,” he stated.