6 Aug 2019

Search resumes for two people after Fiji chopper's disappearance

6:34 am on 6 August 2019

Search and rescue operations have resumed for two people still missing after a helicopter disappeared off Fiji.

Helicopter in Fiji search

Photo: Twitter/ @fmsrcc

The helicopter, on a mercy mission from Lau to Labasa Hospital - in the north of the country - disappeared on Friday.

A body - yet to be identified - was recovered from the Natewa Bay shoreline last weekend.

The Fiji Maritime Surveillance Rescue Co-ordination Centre said in a statement debris from the missing helicopter was also found by villagers along the Natewa coast.

The government said New Zealander Andrew McGregor would lead the investigation into Friday's incident.

Mr McGregor investigated a Cessna plane crash in 2018 in which two people died.

The helicopter that went down at sea was transporting a two-year-old child from Naitaubua island to Labasa accompanied by the child's mother.