Honolulu, Dec 28 (IANS) The remains of six people onboard a helicopter that crashed while returning from a sightseeing tour in Hawaii have been recovered, authorities said.
Seven individuals, one pilot and six passengers, including two children, were on board the chopper, reports Xinhua news agency.
The authorities said they will return to the site of the wreckage on Saturday to search for the remains of the seventh victim.
The crash site of the helicopter has been confirmed in Koke’e State Park near Nu’alolo Cliff Trail on the Kauai island, according to an official statement.
“There are no indications of survivors,” said Kauai Fire Department Battalion Chief Sol Kanoho told the media on Friday.
Kanoho declined to release any details about the victims, but said in addition to the pilot, there were two groups of passengers on the chopper.
Multiple agencies have been engaged in the massive search for the aircraft by air and sea since Thursday night. But by about 3.30 p.m. on Friday, fog and poor visibility forced Kauai firefighters to suspend their search for the seventh person until Saturday morning.
According to local media reports, the US Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the crashed helicopter was a Eurocopter AS350 B2. Its safety record was not immediately available.
Investigators of the US National Transportation Safety Board plan to arrive in Hawaii over the weekend.
The wreckage of the tour helicopter was found in a mountainous region earlier Friday.
–IANS
ksk/