CHC AS332L2
Good morning. Sadly figures revised - 14 rescued, three bodies recovered, one still missing.
Understand was inbound from the Borgsten Dolphin operating for Total at the North Alwyn field.
Couple of the survivors talk about a 'loss of power' a lurch to the left then right, and a sudden fall into the water. The machine then turned turtle.
No mayday called, such was its suddenness.
CHC UK ops closed today - no flights operating.
Over my time following the goings on at Aberdeen at the airport (& from that the oil industry) there have been incidents & accidents involving all types & none. However I also can't help but think - as Capt Doony alludes to - whether the Aerospatiale/Eurocopter SP/L2/225 family are now at journey's end in the UKCS. I remember what happened with the BV234 (Chinook) following its accident off Sumburgh.
It's going to cause yet more transportation disruption offshore, but I cannot think of another safer mode of transport (can you imagine ship - rig/platform/FPSO transfer in a Force 6 -10?). However, if the lads in the back lose all confidence in a type - & the majority of them will be nervous flyers - then that type will struggle to make it back. Personally, I do think this may now be the case with anything SP/225-shaped.
There have been remarkably few accidents given the amount of flying hours there have been down the years - but that is of no comfort to those affected by this & other earlier tragedies.
My condolences to the families of the lost.