Helicopter Crash off coast of Newfoundland

(CNN) -- A helicopter carrying 18 people who work in the oil industry ditched Thursday in the frigid Atlantic Ocean off Newfoundland. At least one survivor has been recovered, a Canadian rescue official in Halifax told CNN.

The helicopter had been heading to the Hibernia offshore oil platform when it went down in what was a controlled emergency crash landing, said Gerry Grychowski of the Rescue Coordination Center.

One person was been transported to the Health Sciences Center in St. John's, Newfoundland, she said, but there were no signs of the helicopter.

"We are actively searching," Grychowski told CNN.

She said two people had been spotted in the ocean and a life raft was seen.

Lt. David Bowen, a Halifax-based official with military search and rescue, told Canadian Broadcasting Corp. that "we don't have any further information on the raft itself." He added that a mayday call was issued at 7:48 a.m. ET.

Weather conditions in the region were extremely cold and windy, according to CNN meteorologists. Air temperature was 33 degrees Fahrenheit, water temperature 34 degrees and wind chill 19. Winds were at 35 mph and waves were 6 to 10 feet high.

Two Hercules aircraft, four Cormorant rescue helicopters, a Canadian coast guard ship and a supply ship were searching the area, according to the CBC, a CNN affiliate.

The crew had been working southeast of St. John's at the White Rose offshore oil field, the CBC report said.

"Eastern Health told CBC News that it has cleared its emergency rooms to prepare for what it described as patients who are critically ill and hypothermic," CBC reported.

Cougar Helicopters operates helicopters flying to and from the three oil fields in the waters off Newfoundland. It told CNN it is preparing a statement.