CHC Norway fatality

[terminus mos]

Patient died after falling from the North Sea helicopter

Pasient døde etter fall fra Nordsjø-helikopter - Offshore.no (http://www.offshore.no/sak/61699_pasient_doede_etter_fall_fra_helikopter)

A patient in his 30s died Wednesday after falling 600 feet from a helicopter that brought him back from the Troll A platform in the North Sea.

The man got out of the helicopter, which was carrying him to Bergen, while it was over the sea. The accident is being investigated by police and the Accident Investigation Board has been notified, according to TV 2

At eight o'clock on Wednesday morning, the man was ill and was picked up by a helicopter ambulance. At 8:45, when the helicopter was a few miles from shore, the patient was able to get out of the helicopter. It was immediately launched a rescue mission. According to police, the man was found close one hour later.

- We have chosen to follow up properly involved and informed about the incident on the installation. We are now working to adapt this internally, says Chief Oliver Heradstveit in Statoil.

Press Contact Svein Thompson in CHC Helikopter Service says that the incident came as a shock.

- This is a type of tragedy we've never experienced before. We now think of the man's family, said Thompson.

According to TV2 consisted crew on board the helicopter by two pilots, one rescuer, one elevator operator and one by medical personnel. The flight described as a routine mission.

Police spoke Wednesday with some of them who were on board the helicopter when the incident happened. Police Superintendent Thomas Sørensen at Sotra, Askøy and Øygarden sheriff's department says there remains some work before events is unclear.

[Gemini Twin]

Not that it makes any difference to the out come but I believe it was 600 meters.

[jayteeto]

Very sad but selfish way to end things. This ultimate action is not unusual in many walks of life. Soldiers in Ireland often topped themselves in the days running up to going home. Their 'loved ones' would be enjoying the single life, move the new bloke in, then give a Dear John just before hubby came home. Any profession that involved time away suffered from these incidents :-(

[fly911]

Jayteeto, before you rule this selfish, consider that the man was sick and being transported to a hospital. I have flown patients that would have done the same if not restrained. The man has a family. Please stop inflicting your infinite wisdom on them. Thanks.

[Peter-RB]

Now aware of last posters comments, if said ill person was being transported in a heli with 2 pilots, and 2 medic types would the patient have been strapped in, or to a stretcher and would the two medics not have been near to him..?

I am having difficulty in seeing or understanding just how this could have happened.

[Tango123]

Me too, PRB

I guess that it is just one of those moments, where irrational human behaviour, goes beyond imagination. And after the tragic event, you can ask yourself, why didn't we (the crew involved) consider this or that.... then it wouldn't have happend.

[Stanwell]

Yes, indeed a tragic event for all concerned.
One can't help wondering, though, about the nature of the patient's 'illness'.

[jayteeto]

Fly911, get a life. It's not infinite wisdom, it's an opinion. An opinion I feel strongly about due to a tragic family incident inflicted on me and my family by an extremely selfish relative. Last I heard, we live in a democracy. I stand by my statement, if he was a risk then you should target the company who let this happen. The crew will have to live with witnessing this man's actions.

[fly911]

Jayteeto, I've got a life, thanks. I'm sorry for your loss and regardless of your family experiences, every person that commits suicide is not selfish. In my opinion, very few are selfish. It is amazing what people will do when in a state of confusion or if they feel threatened. That patient may have jumped out that door without realizing they were in the air. I've seen patients so out of it that they had to be chemically paralyzed. When they recovered, they had no recollection of what happened nor did they want to die. People don't commit suicide for selfish reasons. They just don't. Either they've lost all hope of ever getting better after possibly years and years of pain, or they've been so depressed for so long that it's the only way out. It is very possible that the individual in question had no intention of ending it all, and may have been the least selfish person in the world. You may have judged too hastily.

[Radgirl]

Jayteeto

I don't normally post on here, but IMHO you are indeed out of order and potentially inflicting distress on the relatives. You haven't a clue what happened. Suicide is but one possibility but unlikely in someone who was seemingly physically ill. Suicide in patients with psychiatric disease reduces with physical illness. There are many other possibilities including the patients illness, equipment failure and crew failure. I do not think we should go into detail as it merely furthers speculation but if you PM me I am happy to give you examples of all these.

Lets wait for the results of a formal investigation.

[jayteeto]

Whatever, I don't know the details, that is correct. I very much doubt the family will read this site as well. I will stand in the corner on my own with my friends while you fluffy lot tell me how wrong I am. MY OPINION is still that suicides are selfish. In my job we go to loads, some successful, some miraculously not successful. I feel sadness for the victims and fully understand depression. My son suffers from it and I am terrified that he may have a really bad day and do something silly. However I won't change MY OPINION. Selfish.

[chook13!]

jayteeto
MY OPINION is still that suicides are selfish

what is the relevance of your passionate opinion on this site?
respect your thoughts but this is a site discussing helicopters not a site for passionate dissertations on a subject (suicide the rights/ wrongs and selfishness of ((or not)) ) that at best is a sidebar to the event and worst totally irelevant
how do you know if the family read this site or not?
do you know what the crew were doing?
do you know what state the patient was in?
if you do not i would suggest becoming mute on the subject and not potentially adding to the misery of the family and the crew

for your interest (and I add it for clarity only) I watched my brother for more than ten years as he 'fell apart' despite massive assistance, finally getting a phone call telling me that he'd taken a leap off a large tower.. not once have I ever thought him to be selfish.. my wifes brother was shot and killed by the police in a hostage siege and it was death by forcing the officer to shoot him... not once has the 8 remaining people in the family ever thought him selfish

leave it alone (especially on this site)

[Stanwell]

chook13,
Amen to that.

[jayteeto]

Someone had a go at me and I replied!! I'm gone now, just landed from a train suicide, I am traumatised!! Sorry for causing the thread drift