OMNI Helicopters Guyana Inc. (OHGI) has expanded its offshore search and rescue (SAR) crew with the graduation of four new locally trained professionals, the company said on LinkedIn last week.
The new additions completed a three-month training program and will join OHGI’s dedicated search and rescue (SAR) unit, which serves oil and gas operations offshore Guyana. The new team members are Curt Mendonca and Ishwar Parbhu (Hoist Operators), and Elliott Gonsalves and Joshua Walcott (Rescue Swimmers).
The company said the training was conducted “ab initio,” with recruits selected from the local population.
“Omni Guyana is proud to be the industry leader in providing search and rescue services to offshore interests in South America, and we thank the graduates for their hard work, dedication, and perseverance throughout this demanding training program,” OHGI’s Country Manager Peter Gay said.
Omni is the first company in Guyana to receive ‘Great Place To Work®’ certification | OilNOW
OHGI said its SAR unit is the only one in South America dedicated to the oil and gas sector. The local company is a joint venture between OMNI Helicopters International and Guyanese operator Roraima Airways.
“OMNI is proud to be leading the way in training ab initio SAR technical crews,” Greg Dagnall said. He manages the company’s SAR Rescue Teams. “Well done to them all.”
Since beginning operations in Guyana in January 2023, OHGI has flown thousands of missions, transporting tens of thousands of passengers, most in support of ExxonMobil’s Stabroek Block operations, the company said.
Captain Sean Western, the company’s Service Delivery Manager, said the team trains to the highest SAR standards daily and is “always ready to provide critical life-saving support to those working offshore in the region”.
