A helicopter en route to an offshore oil platform crashed Sunday afternoon, leaving eight dead and one critically injured. The crash occurred roughly 100 miles southwest of New Orleans, in the marshes along Bayou Penchant. Names of the victims have not been released. The Associated Press reports federal officials are scheduled to examine the crash site today to try and determine the cause of the crash, which is still unknown.
The helicopter is owned by Lafayette-based PHI, Inc., one of the Gulf Coast’s leading providers of helicopter services to offshore oil platforms. It’s the second tragic accident for the company within the past year. In June, a PHI Air Medical helicopter crashed in Texas, killing four.