Bristow S76 Ditched in Nigeria today Feb 3 2016
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tgvbhy15
Damned if you do, damned if you don't ...... in these days of speedy social media.
Surely the most important thing is to quell the fears of the loved ones of the crew, passengers, oil workers ...... if management had that information, who cares a damn about the cause, the type of landing so long as all are safe and sound; you can worry about the investigation later.
We all know, surely, second hand reports often cannot be relied upon - which makes it a delicate balance between publishing or not .... never mind the online sleuths and experts.
Surely the most important thing is to quell the fears of the loved ones of the crew, passengers, oil workers ...... if management had that information, who cares a damn about the cause, the type of landing so long as all are safe and sound; you can worry about the investigation later.
We all know, surely, second hand reports often cannot be relied upon - which makes it a delicate balance between publishing or not .... never mind the online sleuths and experts.
What ever lead to the event, the limited damage seems to indicate a nicely controlled ditching. Pity about the bags deflating and rolling her over. Running short of fuel? Find that a little hard to believe unless there were extenuating circumstances.
Reports say, "This is just as a barge has been deployed to the scene of the crash off Lagos buoy to convey faulty helicopter to Lagos. THISDAY exclusively gathered that 11 occupants of the helicopter, comprising two pilots and nine passengers, were trapped for two hours and left to their fate before a merchant vessel chanced on them and rescued them.
The vessel, MV Dijama, a supply ship and tug boat, rescued the occupants before emergency rescuers stormed the scene and took all 11, who had suffered dislocations and minor injuries, to the hospital.
Also, THISDAY gathered that many of the 11 occupants who were flown to Lagos and were admitted into a private clinic for thorough check up before they were released."
Reports say, "This is just as a barge has been deployed to the scene of the crash off Lagos buoy to convey faulty helicopter to Lagos. THISDAY exclusively gathered that 11 occupants of the helicopter, comprising two pilots and nine passengers, were trapped for two hours and left to their fate before a merchant vessel chanced on them and rescued them.
The vessel, MV Dijama, a supply ship and tug boat, rescued the occupants before emergency rescuers stormed the scene and took all 11, who had suffered dislocations and minor injuries, to the hospital.
Also, THISDAY gathered that many of the 11 occupants who were flown to Lagos and were admitted into a private clinic for thorough check up before they were released."
No ELT/EPIRB???
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Crab;
From my experience the crew tend to carry ELT's, but they are rarely (never in the hot places I worked, but I'm happy to be corrected about anywhere else) fitted to aircraft to keep the weight down. The North Sea always went belt and braces on ADELT, ELT etc, but the performance margins were better due to the climate.
I often wonder with 20/20 hindsight whether the oil companies and everyone else in the off-shore chain ever contemplated the risks to safety caused by the constant threat of contract removal, price cuts and the occasionally awful commercial pressure placed on crews. Talking to mates who are still off-shore the current fear of unemployment is causing huge stress across the industry. Does Target Zero take worried, distracted and possibly fatigued crews into account?
SND
From my experience the crew tend to carry ELT's, but they are rarely (never in the hot places I worked, but I'm happy to be corrected about anywhere else) fitted to aircraft to keep the weight down. The North Sea always went belt and braces on ADELT, ELT etc, but the performance margins were better due to the climate.
I often wonder with 20/20 hindsight whether the oil companies and everyone else in the off-shore chain ever contemplated the risks to safety caused by the constant threat of contract removal, price cuts and the occasionally awful commercial pressure placed on crews. Talking to mates who are still off-shore the current fear of unemployment is causing huge stress across the industry. Does Target Zero take worried, distracted and possibly fatigued crews into account?
SND
No ELT/EPIRB???
Yes it was. All 406 Mhz transmissions are satellite monitored in UK so a simple phone call could have alerted the owners/operators if the ELT was registered (as it should be). At least someone might have known they were there within a few minutes instead of having to wait for a merchant vessel to chance upon them.
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If any of the so-called SAR experts cared to look at the photos which were posted by Megan, they would have seen the ADELT fitted on the starboard side of the tail boom. Also all Bristow helicopters operating in Nigeria have some form of rescue beacon carried in the dinghy or dinghy stowage and each crew member has a beacon in her/his life jacket.
In other photos I have seen of the aircraft floating upside down in the sea, all the flotation bags appear fully inflated, so the capsize of the aircraft seems likely to be caused by other factors - maybe the sea state? I have no idea.
The wait of 2 hours mentioned in the newspaper report may, or may not be true. - Nigerian papers are notoriously unreliable. With the total absence of any credible SAR service in Nigeria, it was most likely due to it taking that long to get a ship there.
There have been several times that the offshore oil companies in Nigeria have talked of funding a dedicated SAR helicopter, the last one I know of being around 4 years ago to have fully crewed, SAR S92. All have foundered because of inter-oil company squabbling as to which was going to run it, or lack of funding. It has always amazed me that as one of the largest oil producing nations, Nigeria's NEMA has had no offshore SAR capability.
The cause of this ditching is not known yet, but as all the occupants of the aircraft have survived, the crew will doubtless be able to assist the investigation. The aircraft has been recovered, so it's likely cause will soon be known to Bristow. Hopefully the management will then release the information in the interests of safety (and to stop disgruntled employees using social media to air their grievances).
In other photos I have seen of the aircraft floating upside down in the sea, all the flotation bags appear fully inflated, so the capsize of the aircraft seems likely to be caused by other factors - maybe the sea state? I have no idea.
The wait of 2 hours mentioned in the newspaper report may, or may not be true. - Nigerian papers are notoriously unreliable. With the total absence of any credible SAR service in Nigeria, it was most likely due to it taking that long to get a ship there.
There have been several times that the offshore oil companies in Nigeria have talked of funding a dedicated SAR helicopter, the last one I know of being around 4 years ago to have fully crewed, SAR S92. All have foundered because of inter-oil company squabbling as to which was going to run it, or lack of funding. It has always amazed me that as one of the largest oil producing nations, Nigeria's NEMA has had no offshore SAR capability.
The cause of this ditching is not known yet, but as all the occupants of the aircraft have survived, the crew will doubtless be able to assist the investigation. The aircraft has been recovered, so it's likely cause will soon be known to Bristow. Hopefully the management will then release the information in the interests of safety (and to stop disgruntled employees using social media to air their grievances).
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Sir Niall Dementia
In the several hot-climate locations I have been, the authority always stipulates an aircraft mounted ELT as a minimum, as well as possibly a portable EPIRB/ELT, not to mention customer required / OGP recommended ADELT for offshore oil & gas operations ......
In the several hot-climate locations I have been, the authority always stipulates an aircraft mounted ELT as a minimum, as well as possibly a portable EPIRB/ELT, not to mention customer required / OGP recommended ADELT for offshore oil & gas operations ......
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tistisnot;
Thanks for that. I was in SE Asia and Africa in the very early nineties and we had ELTs in the crew jackets and on the S61 an ELT by the freight door, but no ADELT or anything for the pax.
The rest of my off-shore time was spent in very cold places where the aircraft were festooned with them, in fact so many that I did wonder if the whole lot were set off would they garble the signal and cause confusion. I've since been told that shouldn't happen, but it did tick around my little brain while over sea at 1-2 deg C!
SND
Thanks for that. I was in SE Asia and Africa in the very early nineties and we had ELTs in the crew jackets and on the S61 an ELT by the freight door, but no ADELT or anything for the pax.
The rest of my off-shore time was spent in very cold places where the aircraft were festooned with them, in fact so many that I did wonder if the whole lot were set off would they garble the signal and cause confusion. I've since been told that shouldn't happen, but it did tick around my little brain while over sea at 1-2 deg C!
SND
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Sir Nial,
I think something akin to that did happen after the ETAP incident where the 225 was set down on the water inadvertently.
Something about the PLBs the pax were wearing, fooling the aircraft ELT into reducing power, and thus hindering search in foggy conditions?
Someone with much more knowledge will be along I'm sure to confirm whether or not I have that correct..........
I think something akin to that did happen after the ETAP incident where the 225 was set down on the water inadvertently.
Something about the PLBs the pax were wearing, fooling the aircraft ELT into reducing power, and thus hindering search in foggy conditions?
Someone with much more knowledge will be along I'm sure to confirm whether or not I have that correct..........
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In the pictures published above it does appear that the aft chamber of the forward right float is deflated, and the aft right float bag does not appear fully inflated, this may have contributed to the aircraft turning over, equally this deflation may have occurred during the salvage operations
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Fixerman - Nice phrase ...... "set down upon the water inadvertently"!!
I hardly think it hindered the EC225 rescue ..... it "alighted" pretty close to the rig (500m) and witnesses raised the alarm. But yes there was an issue with the passenger PLB's and interference with other supposedly smart ELT's ..... I think now software resolved.
The issue here is though in remote areas, without airborne SAR, a SART is far more likely to effect a faster rescue as all international shipping nearby will receive it - not someone miles away searching for the HEX code, owner's contact details. Personal PLB's are really only for close in, I would suggest, once the SAR aircraft arrives though modern ac have thermal pictures etc.
I hardly think it hindered the EC225 rescue ..... it "alighted" pretty close to the rig (500m) and witnesses raised the alarm. But yes there was an issue with the passenger PLB's and interference with other supposedly smart ELT's ..... I think now software resolved.
The issue here is though in remote areas, without airborne SAR, a SART is far more likely to effect a faster rescue as all international shipping nearby will receive it - not someone miles away searching for the HEX code, owner's contact details. Personal PLB's are really only for close in, I would suggest, once the SAR aircraft arrives though modern ac have thermal pictures etc.
Yes, fareastdriver, on the model of ADELT I'm familiar with, it should be deployed, if possible, immediatly before ditching, if not, ejection will be automatically commanded by water sensitive sensors. (as long as the arming selector is positioned on "arm deploy") Distress signals are activated by the upright position of the floating device.
On the above picture, the "ADELT" seems to still be attached to the airframe.
But of course, we still can activate it from inside the cockpit, when it is still in place.
On the above picture, the "ADELT" seems to still be attached to the airframe.
But of course, we still can activate it from inside the cockpit, when it is still in place.