Fatal Accident Involves Petrobras Employees After Forced Landing Near Manati Field in Southern Bahia, Leaving One Dead and Twelve Injured

Helicopter Pilot from Petrobras with 25 Years of Experience Passes Away After Forced Landing Accident in Bahia, and 12 Other People Were Injured at the Accident Site. The Company Leader Aviation, Responsible for the Helicopter, Also Regretted the Incident and Said It Provided All Necessary Support

On the morning of this Wednesday (16), the crew member of a helicopter transporting Petrobras employees passed away after the aircraft made a forced landing in the Camamu Basin, in Southern Bahia, near the Manati Field. After the accident, the crew member was still rescued by a vessel, but unfortunately did not survive the injuries. Investigators from the Second Regional Service for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents (SERIPA II), located in Recife (PE), a regional body of the Center for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents (CENIPA), were called to the scene.

12 Other People Were Rescued After Helicopter Accident with Petrobras Employees

Petrobras did not provide details on whether the crew member was part of the company’s staff or was a contractor through a third-party company. The man, identified as Luiz Augusto Volpiano Pereira, was 58 years old and had 25 years of experience in his position, according to information from family members living in Paraguaçu Paulista, in the interior of São Paulo. An additional 12 people were also rescued from the helicopter accident, only with minor injuries.

The other injured individuals were taken to Salvador for medical care. The twelve injured were rescued by a helicopter and a plane from the Military Police Air Group (GRAER), but their health status was not disclosed.

The Military Police reported that eight victims were treated by the plane and three others by the helicopter, and after providing this assistance, the team returned to the accident site to rescue one more person. At the location, investigators identify signs, photograph scenes, collect parts of the aircraft for analysis, interview witnesses, gather documents, among other actions. There is no set time for the analysis to occur, always depending on the complexity of the incident.

Petrobras States That Competent Authorities Are Already Seeking a Cause for the Accident

The Petrobras Employees were taken to Hospital Teresa de Lisieux, Hospital da Bahia, Hospital Cárdio Pulmonar, and Hospital São Rafael. The representative of Hospital Teresa de Lisieux, Hapvida System, stated that three of the five patients admitted to the unit are stable and at no risk of death, and the other two are doing well and have already been discharged. According to reports, the helicopter needed to make a forced landing upon arriving to land at the Manati platform.

Petrobras expresses regret over the incident and informed that a commission will be developed to investigate the cause of the accident. The company also stated that the responsible authorities have already been informed about the case. Leader Aviation, responsible for the helicopter, also expressed condolences over the accident and stated that it would provide all possible assistance.

Authorities Called to Analyze the Helicopter Accident

For the incident, investigators from the Second Regional Service for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents (SERIPA II), located in Recife (PE), and also the Regional Body of the Center for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents were called.

There is no timeline for the analysis to be completed, as it depends on the complexity of the accident. According to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), the goal of the investigations conducted by CENIPA is to prevent new accidents with similar characteristics.