The 30 year veteran pilot died in the helicopter crash, which belonged to Houston Helicopters. It was a 2000 year model, with no history of mechanical problems. It has not been found after sinking at midday on Sunday.

The Coast Guard said the crew was very luck to be found in the rough water, while still alive.

"There is a lot of debris out in the Gulf, there's a lot of whitecaps right now, waves breaking, so it's hard to see just the head and shoulders, so lucky for them they had orange life vests, which made it a little easier."