Helicopter crashes into remote Alaska lake, no survivors found, officials say
Anchorage (US) (AP): No survivors were found after a helicopter carrying a pilot and three state workers crashed in a shallow lake in Alaska's North Slope region, officials said on Friday.
The helicopter had been chartered by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, the department said in a statement on Friday.
It was carrying three employees from the Division of Geological and Geophysical Survey who had been conducting field work.
"DNR is praying for our employees and the pilot, their families, and the DNR team," the statement said. "We are continuing to await updates from the search and rescue effort."
The helicopter, a Bell 206, was reported overdue Thursday night. A North Slope Borough search and rescue team in a helicopter found debris matching the description of the missing helicopter, but no bodies had been seen or recovered, D.J. Fauske, the borough's director of government and external affairs, said in a text to The Associated Press on Friday.
The wreckage was found in a shallow lake near Wainwright, about 50 miles south to southwest of Utqiagvik, the northernmost city in the US, formerly known as Barrow.
The flight originated in Utqiagvik and was supposed to return there, said Clint Johnson, chief of the National Transportation Safety Board's Alaska region. Johnson said he did not immediately have further information on the flight details.
The helicopter was operated by Maritime Helicopters Inc., according to a statement on the company's website. It confirmed the accident was fatal and said names of the pilot and passengers would be released pending notification of next of kin.
The borough notified the Federal Aviation Administration and state officials as well as NTSB, Fauske said.
"The borough is here to help and we will pray for the missing," he said.
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Elephant calf brought from Bijnor kept under care at Pilibhit Tiger Reserve
Pilibhit (PTI): A 19-day-old elephant calf, brought from Bijnor, was placed under care at the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) on Sunday, an official said and added that the calf got separated from its mother in the forest area of Bijnor.
The calf was born on December 2 in the Bijnor forest area and got separated from its mother shortly after birth, the official said.
The forest department made several attempts to reunite it with its mother, but without any success. To ensure the calf's safety and better care, it was decided to transfer it to the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve on the instructions of senior officials.
On Saturday, Deputy Director Manish Singh received the calf. Special arrangements have been made in the reserve for its care. It has been kept in a safe and clean environment to provide it with a natural setting and protect it from external noise and disturbances.
Singh told reporters that raising an 19-day-old calf is challenging.
It requires a special diet as a substitute for mother's milk and constant monitoring.
He said a special team has been formed to provide 24-hour care. Since the calf is very young, it is being cared for like a newborn baby.
According to Singh, the primary responsibility for monitoring the calf's health has been entrusted to PTR's veterinarian, Dr Daksh Gangwar. Under his supervision, a complete record of the calf's health checkups, diet, and body temperature is being maintained. The team is ensuring that the calf does not contract any infection.
