Fleet of helicopters grounded after four die in North Sea crash

 
RNLI volunteers inspect the ditched helicopter near the mainland coast of the Shetland Islands. The yellow object is a helicopter flotation device
Reuters
Pa|Staff25 August 2013

A helicopter service has grounded its fleet of aircraft after a helicopter carrying oil workers plunged into the North Sea off Shetland, killing four people.

The move follows calls for the suspension of all Super Puma helicopter flights to and from offshore platforms after a craft transporting oil workers went down in the North Sea.

CHC said flights of its Super Puma AS332 L2 aircraft, the model which suddenly ditched without warning while carrying 18 people, are suspended globally until further notice.

It has also suspended all UK commercial flights of the three other models in the Super Puma range following a recommendation from an aviation safety group.

After an emergency meeting the offshore industry's Helicopter Safety Steering Group (HSSG) urged the precautionary measure until there is "sufficient factual information" to resume flights.

Meanwhile, rescuers are yet to recover one of the bodies still at sea following Friday evening's crash around two miles west of Sumburgh airport.

Those who died have been named as Duncan Munro, 46, from Bishop Auckland, County Durham; George Allison, 57, from Winchester, Hampshire; Sarah Darnley, 45, from Elgin, Scotland; and 59-year-old Gary McCrossan, from Inverness, also Scotland.

The helicopter was being operated by CHC for oil company Total and was transporting workers from the Borgsten Dolphin platform when it is believed to have experienced a "catastrophic" loss of power.

Rescue effort: a rescue boat at Aith Lifeboat Station with a volunteer crew leaving the harbour to join the rescue operation

After its meeting the HSSG said: "The HSSG, supported by the Step Change in Safety Leadership Team, has taken the precautionary measure of recommending temporary suspension of all Super Puma commercial passenger flights to and from offshore oil and gas installations within the UK."

CHC said it has "great respect" for the HSSG and would follow its recommendation, which allows for the use of emergency flights.

It added that the further three models in the Super Puma range, AS332L/L1 and EC225, would be suspended globally today while the company "took stock" of Friday's accident.

However it believes that differences in their engineering and operation compared to the AS332 L2 warrant continuing flights with these aircraft.

"A further update on our global operational plans will be provided soon," a statement said.

"We do not know the cause of the Friday incident. A full investigation will be carried out in conjunction with the U.K. Air Accident Investigation Branch."

It added: "The thoughts and prayers of all CHC people are with victims of the incident and their loved ones."

The HSSG is due to meet again on Wednesday to review the situation unless "any significant information come to light before this date".

Following the crash, 14 people were taken to safety during a major rescue response involving the coastguard, police, RAF and RNLI. They were taken to hospital on Shetland, where two were being treated last night. The other 12 survivors have returned safely to Aberdeen.

Helicopter operator CHC said the aircraft lost communication as it approached the airport on the southern tip of Shetland's main island.

One Total employee was on board and the remainder worked for contract companies, including those killed.

Mr Munro leaves behind wife Penny and 12-year-old daughter Katie.

His family said in a statement: "He will be sadly missed by everyone that knew him and his death will leave a large void in a lot of people's lives."

Ms Darnley's family paid tribute to a "fun-loving, free spirit" who was brought up in Elgin and moved to Aberdeen aged 19.

The offshore worker is survived by parents Anne and Edmund Darnley, her sister Angela and nephew Nicholas.

Her mother Anne said: "We are shocked by the sudden loss of Sarah, who was a fun-loving free spirit who will be sorely missed.

"Sarah lived life to the full, she was easy going and a one-off. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her."

Mr McCrossan worked for Stork Technical Services. Mike Mann, a senior vice president at the firm, said: "Our heartfelt condolences go out to Gary's family and to all of those affected by this tragedy."

Mr Allison had been working at the Offshore Dunbar Platform as a project safety supervisor for just over a year when he was killed, according to his LinkedIn profile.

He described himself as a "highly qualified, experienced and competent Safety Advisor" who has worked in the offshore industry for 27 years.

A team from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has travelled to Aberdeen to carry out initial inquiries into the incident.

Jim Nicholson, RNLI rescue co-ordinator, said: "There appears to have been a catastrophic loss of power which meant the helicopter suddenly dropped into the sea without any opportunity to make a controlled landing."

Industry body Oil & Gas UK has arranged a meeting of operators and major contractors tomorrow to discuss ways of minimising the impact of the suspension on the offshore workforce.

A statement from Super Puma manufacturers Eurocopter said: "Eurocopter is supporting CHC and relevant authorities with their investigations."

There have been five North Sea incidents involving Super Pumas since 2009. In April that year an AS332 L2, this time operated by Bond Offshore Helicopter, went down north east of Peterhead on its return from a BP Platform, killing all 14 passengers and two crew on board.

Audrey Wood, mother of 27-year-old Stuart Wood, who died in the 2009 Super Puma crash, said more must be done to safeguard those working offshore.

Mrs Wood told STV News: "By the sound of things, there have been no lessons learned at all. Something needs to be done to reassure the men that need to go out to the oil rigs that they have a safe mode of transport and can come home safely to their families."

RNLI rescue footage showed the helicopter upside down in the sea in the aftermath of the crash.

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