SAR rescue of 11 from North Sea ERV 14 Dec 2012

[Helinut]

Just picked up on a N Sea Hele SAR rescue which happened on Friday. Apparently 11 winched from "M/V Vos Sailor". 1 lost.

BBC News - Vos Sailor: Crew member dies and 11 rescued in North Sea gales (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-20739526)

From what little I have been able to find, Vos Sailor was (ironically) the Emergency Rescue Vessel for the Balmoral field. The information I have is that the rescue was performed by a Bond helicopter (presumably one of those in JIGSAW), and that a winchman suffered injuries during the rescue.

Does anyone have any more information/links? Or have I missed the thread ...........

[iamthetroll]

Press statement from the Bond website:

Press Story | Bond Aviation Group (http://www.bondaviationgroup.com/media/press-story?story=2097)

Bond Offshore Helicopters’ BP Jigsaw search and rescue (SAR) aircraft played a key role in the rescue of crew from the Vos Sailor standby vessel, and the subsequent evacuation of the nearby North Sea Producer platform, yesterday along with two other search and rescue aircraft.

Amidst extremely poor weather and sea conditions, one of Bond’s SAR aircraft was first to reach the vessel, picking up 8 members of the ship’s crew. A Bond winchman then remained on the deck of the vessel to co-ordinate the rescue of 3 further members of the ship’s crew. The vessel had lost all power after being hit by a wave, hampering rescue efforts, which had to be conducted in the dark.

With the empty vessel drifting towards the North Sea Producer platform, a second Bond SAR aircraft was then involved in the evacuation of 10 personnel from that platform.

Luke Farajallah, Managing Director of Bond Offshore Helicopter, said: “I would like to commend our search and rescue crews, who did a fantastic job earlier today in extremely challenging and hazardous conditions. Today is testament to the experience, training and dedication of those crews, which is second to none. Our thoughts are with the family of the crew member that lost his life.”

Notes to Editors

1. Bond’s offshore search and rescue operation comprises two dedicated, specially-modified Eurocopter Super Puma AS332L2 Mark II helicopters made available under a long-term contract with BP to provide 24-hour airborne search-&-rescue and medical evacuation for its workforce in a unique UK North Sea system known as Jigsaw. One of the high-specification, twin-engine aircraft is based at Sumburgh Airport, Shetland, the other on the Miller platform, in the central North Sea.

2. Jigsaw operations were launched in March 2006 and there have been around 60 winchings to date, as well as medevacs and downmannings. With the 300th mission flown in April this year, in addition to BP, these have included flights for 32 other offshore operators plus a number of vessel operators in the UK and Norwegian sectors, the Aeronautical Rescue Co-ordination Centre, various others, and patient transfers for the Scottish Ambulance Service in Shetland.

About Avincis Group

Bond Offshore Helicopters Ltd is part of Avincis Group. Avincis Group is the world’s leading provider of mission critical aviation services. The Group’s mission is to save lives, protect the environment and provide safe transport for mission critical people and assets for public services and blue chip corporations.

Avincis has a global footprint which, includes the UK, Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Ireland, Norway, Australia, Chile and Peru. The Group operates around 350 rotary and 50 fixed-wing aircraft, from 295 bases in ten countries. Avincis employs almost 3,000 people worldwide and at end 2011 had an annualised turnover of €521 million (£421 million). The Group is headquartered in London.

Media Contacts

Ben Bladon

I was speaking with some chaps I know on the Bond crew, and the CG as well as some others I know that were on the Piper B when the mayday came in. Sounds as though the job was carried out in horrific conditions on a very dark night. A substantial effort on the part of the Bond 1 and the CG 102 crews to get everyone off the vessel.
It'd be too much positive press about helicopters for it to make it into the press. Though the part about the winchman breaking his foot is steadily making its way into the story about them towing the vessel to shore.

I hope this helps.

[Helinut]

Thanks for that. Sounds like a nasty set of circumstances. I did a quick search on the Vos Sailor which suggested it was among the more mature of ERVs: whether that is relevant I do not know.

Certainly sounded like it was the sort of occasion where helicopters were invaluable. I was surprised at the lack of media attention.

RIP to the lost soul, working to protect others.

[SASless]

Good thing the SAR Aircraft were not 225's!

[Adroight]

I was surprised at the lack of media attention.

I'm not. It was a good news story.

[[email protected]]

Sounds like a very good job by all involved:ok: