SASless,
I heard the aircraft was nearly new, but as usual that can't be proved.
You're right about most of the rumoured things being academic, but the NCAA have really tried to tighten up over the past couple of years. They have these NCARs which are copied from JAR. The solids would really hit the air conditioning if any or all of those rumoured factors were found to be true. That's why people are gobsmacked that no formal investigation has taken place, or if it has no results have been published.
Pan African don't do that contract any more, ChevronTexaco are using a Bristow S-76 for it now. Same group of companies, different paint scheme.
Strange..................
