In a statement seen by Reuters on Sunday, BHP Billiton <BHP.AX><BHP.L> said those killed included David Hopgood, the Australian chief operating officer of BHP Billiton Angola.
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Mining group BHP Billiton Ltd/Plc has suspended its exploration operations in Angola after a helicopter crash on Friday killed five people on the way to its Alto Cuilo Camp site in the north east of the country.
In a statement seen by Reuters on Sunday, BHP Billiton <BHP.AX><BHP.L> said those killed included David Hopgood, the Australian chief operating officer of BHP Billiton Angola.
It said two helicopters struck bad weather as they were transporting personnel to Alto Cuilo Camp, a joint venture with London-listed Petra Diamonds <PDL.L>, forcing both to land temporarily before taking off again when the weather cleared.
The second craft later went missing and its wreckage was only found on Saturday, the company said, adding: "Tragically, none of the passengers had survived the crash."
!ADVERTISEMENT!"All operations in Angola have been suspended and an investigation has been launched," the statement said.
BHP Billiton is the world's largest diversified natural resources company, with operations encompassing a range of commodities including aluminum, energy coal, metallurgical coal, coppermanganese, iron ore, uranium, nickel, diamonds, silver and titanium minerals, oil, gas, and liquefied natural gas.
In southern Africa, BHP Billiton has operations in manganese, energy coal and aluminum.
(Reporting by Stella Mapenzauswa; Editing by David Holmes)
