Bodies of four missing men recovered after Gulf of Mexico helicopter crash

LIZANA, Miss. (WGNO) — The bodies of three oil rig workers and a pilot were recovered on Tuesday, concluding a days-long search after their helicopter crashed in the Gulf of Mexico last week.

Family members confirm with ABC affiliate WLOX in Biloxi that the four men and the aircraft were pulled from the water and brought to Port Fourchon in southern Louisiana. We’re told that the bodies have not yet been released to their families.

So far, only one person aboard has been identified by family members: David Scarborough, a 36-year-old man from Lizana. His wife, Lacy Scarborough is pregnant with the couple’s second child after losing their son earlier this year to an accidental drowning incident.

We’re told that David had worked off-shore for eight years and was on his way home to celebrate Christmas with his family after working a two-week shift. He was aboard a Bell 407 helicopter with three others when the aircraft crashed as it was leaving an oil platform on Thursday (Dec. 29). The other three men have not been identified.

The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that the helicopter was owned by Rotorcraft Leasing Company. So far, the company has not released any information regarding the crash, including a statement or identity of the victims.

The crash came just two weeks after another Rotorcraft helicopter crashed near Terrebonne Bay, leaving three people stranded until they were eventually rescued by the Coast Guard.

So far, it remains unclear what led up to any of the company’s three crashes in 2022 — the first happening two weeks into the new year. According to the National Transportation Safety Board, an investigation can last anywhere from 12 to 24 months.