Chopper down in North Sea
 

BBC just reported chopper down in North Sea - "16 aboard" - off Peterhead

Aberdeen Coastguard has confirmed a rescue operation is under way 12 miles north east of Peterhead.

Suggestion now of 20 aboard, returning from oil rig.

crash
 

It appears to be a Super Puma L2 of Bond helicopters...

Let's hope everyone will be rescued..

I believe that after the the Canadian incident some helos were grounded:- BBC NEWS | UK | Scotland | North East/N Isles | Coastguard helicopters grounded
Does this reduce the number of helos available for SAR?

Some more here

Several fatalities after second Bond helicopter ditches in North Sea

The MCA helis were only grounded for a short period - it was reported last week that they were back in service.

Latest S.A.R reports says "Latest sitrep seems to be saying:'10 bodies recovered and 6 still missing. Rescue 137 is marking floating bodies with red smoke for pick up. Unclear at this stage if there are any survivors."

press association confirming flight was inbound from miller oilfield.

cross-reffing that against bond's own website would suggest it is flight 85N.

Guys think a bit - families are going to be on the internet trying to find things out. Leave it be for a bit shall we, let the system do its thing first.

As posted on Rotorheads, I don't post here often, but I am more than aware, having been reading some of the news reports on this, that the press are using PPRuNe as one of their primary sources for reporting gossip and speculation on this incident. In other words, what is being posted in here, and on the main thread, is being DIRECTLY reported as NEWS. Whether it is FACT or not doesn't matter! :mad:

BBC calling it a "Sikorsky" and an "earlier model" than the Super Puma.

North Sea helicopter 'plunge':

10 feared dead in North Sea helicopter plunge - Home News, UK - The Independent

The closest we have to fact.
 

The best and most factual source of information for this incident is the UK coast guard. All reputable British media are reporting 8 bodies recovered.

"
Press Notice No: 56-09
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Posted 17:06 GMT


Rescue vessels are in the process of recovering a number of fatalities following a helicopter crash earlier this afternoon. Two liferafts were spotted in the water which were both overturned. The search is continuing for the remaining passengers and crew.

The aircraft, a Bond AS 33L Mk 2 was carrying 16 people in total; 14 passengers and two crew. All were wearing survival suits.

The weather this afternoon is dry and settled in the area with light breezes, south easterly3 veering southerly 4, visibility is moderate to good. The temperature of the water in the area is currently 8 degrees Celsius.

At just before 2.00 pm this afternoon, Aberdeen Coastguard were informed of a ditched Bond helicopter about 13 and a half miles off the coast of Crimond (between Fraserburgh and Peterhead)

Two helicopters from the RAF (R131 & R 137) were scrambled to the scene and a Nimrod marine patrol aircraft has been diverted to the area. Aberdeen Coastguard began to broadcast a mayday signal into the area. RNLI lifeboats from Peterhead and Fraserburgh are also searching in the sea area.

The Caledonian Victory is on scene and the Nord Fortune and Vigilant are on their way. Four fishing vessels are also involved in the search, making a total of 11 vessels conducting a sea search.

A variety of vessels immediately responded and the nearest vessel the `Normand Aurora have launched their fast rescue craft to the scene. "


Newsroom - Press Releases

Very early on in the scramble to report today's tragic news, I posted a thoughtless and insensitive question - the potential effect of which I hadn't considered until I was justifiably b*llocked via a PM. I deleted the post.

I should know better. It only goes to show that old gits like myself ought, perhaps, to remind ourselves that PPRuNE is not simply some sort of typed, private conversational tool. It has acquired a far greater status.

So thanks to the moderators who, it appears, have cut out much of the sh*t from these sad threads. Am I alone in thinking there's nothing more to be said? At least, not today?

XV490

i dont think there is and the reality that this crash wasnt anywhere near as succesful as the last ditching in the north sea. Im just holding out hope (even though now anyone would probably have sucummed to the cold) that maybe 1 or 2 people have managed to survive or something like that, possibly been blown close to shore?

My dad works offshore so each time something like this happens it hits a bit close to home.

Jamie R

Continued here http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/368...ndolences.html