Passengers safe after helicopter sea crash
Monday 22 October 2012
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EmailAll 19 passengers were reported safe last night after a helicopter servicing the North Sea's oil rigs crashed off the coast of Scotland.
Transport contractor CHC Helicopter said a unit in its fleet raised the alarm around 3.30pm today afternoon while 32 miles south of Shetland.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institute then launched a rescue mission from Kirkwall, Aith and Lerwick, with the offshore workers' union OILC confirming all 19 on board had been safely rescued.
General secretary Jake Molloy told the Star the company had a "pretty good" safety record, but acknowledged it was the third such case this year.
A CHC helicopter carrying 16 people downed in the North Sea in May after a faulty instrument panel reported a drop in oil pressure. All survived.
And Scotland's coastguard had to escort another CHC helicopter to an emergency landing in June after it reported a sudden temperature warning.
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