Three dead in Lukoil helicopter crash offshore Ghana

ACCRA, Ghana, May 9 (UPI) -- Russian oil company Lukoil confirmed Friday three people were killed when a helicopter it contracted to carry personnel to a drill ship crashed offshore Ghana.

Lukoil Overseas, operator of the projects for Lukoil, said eight people were on board the chartered helicopter when it crashed about 3.4 nautical miles off the Ghanaian coast. Three fatalities were confirmed, one person remains missing and four others were transported to shore for medical treatment for non-life threatening injuries.

Lukoil offered no information on the status of activities at its Jack Ryan drillship off the coast of Ghana.

Ghana's government expects to draw in at least $20 billion in new energy investments in the next five years

The Tweneboa-Enyenra-Ntomme off the coast of Ghana should deliver its first oil by 2016. At its peak, it is expected to produce about 80,000 barrels per day. The Jubilee field off the coast could eventually produce more than 125,000 bpd, operator Tullow Oil says.