According to local newspapers the pilot swam back into the sinking helicopter, released the flotation devices as well as a trapped passenger.
Well done him.
was that the Norwegian equivalent of the Daily Mail?
He says in the interview the flot gear was fired very soon after water entry (or implies that) If he had escaped then gone back in he would have been very foolish and the aircraft would have probably been well underwater by then so not very likely.
Getting an 'uncontrollable' helicopter into the water without dying is due to a great deal of luck rather than skill I would suggest - the PIC suddenly became a passenger when they were hit by the tarpaulin.