Maritime Rescue Service Chopper Went Down Near Almeria

The bodies of three crew members were found at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea on Saturday, still inside the AW-139 that went down last Thursday evening.  A fourth crew member on "Helimer 207" was rescued at the time of the incident and is recovering in Spain.

The helo had been on a training mission and was on ILS approach when the tower at Almeria Airport (LEAM) lost the chopper on radar.  Flares helped guide rescuers about four miles out into the sea to the only surviving crew member.

File photo of Spanish SAR AW-139

Although there is no word on the cause of the incident, representatives from Agusta Westland have been on-site and reportedly located the signal from the chopper's black box.

According to Isabel Durantez, head of Spain's Maritime Safety and Rescue Agency, a remote underwater vehicle was used to inspect the debris 85 meters below the surface and confirm that it was the missing craft.  The remains of Captain José Luis López Alcalá, copilot Kevin Holmes of New Zealand, and Iñigo Vallejo García will be recovered over the next few days.

FMI: www.agustawestland.com