Helicopter goes missing off Norway, rescue service says

A helicopter went missing off the coast of western Norway on Wednesday after sending an emergency signal, and several people were later observed in the ocean nearby, the country's rescue service said. Norwegian police confirmed an accident had taken place, news agency NTB reported.

A helicopter went missing off the coast of western Norway on Wednesday after sending an emergency signal, and several people were later observed in the ocean nearby, the country's rescue service said.

Norwegian police confirmed an accident had taken place, news agency NTB reported. It was not immediately clear how many people were on board the aircraft.

Rescue personnel had begun hoisting people from the sea, the Norwegian Joint Rescue Coordination Centres said in a post on X. Air traffic data showed several rescue helicopters circling in the air near an island west of Bergen, Norway's second biggest city and a busy hub for the Norwegian offshore oil and gas industry.