http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east/7898093.stm

 

Helicopter ditches in North Sea

 

A helicopter, understood to have up to 20 people on board, has ditched on approach to an installation in the North Sea.

 

The Super Puma was believed to have ditched on approach to an installation 120 miles east of Aberdeen. The alarm was raised just before 1900 GMT.

 

Three helicopters - including two in-field aircraft and a Sea King from RAF Lossiemouth - are heading to the scene.

 

A Nimrod from RAF Kinloss has also been scrambled.

 

There is currently no information on those on board the ditched aircraft.

Holy shit.

 

I hope everyone is okay. The article suggests it was on approach to an installation so hopefully the standby vessel could launch the recovery craft to get everyone onboard ASAP.

 

Providing you survive the crash, you have only a few minutes in the water at this time of year. 

I hate all sorts of air travel. 

Balls.  Not good.

No word on which installation it was!?

 

Nothing on BBC/Sky News.

 

 

Helicopter assisting from Ekofisk platform in the Norwegian sector.

 

No word of what helicopter operator, nor what installation. BP-Jigsaw SAR Helicopters are there too.

 

:fingerscrossedsmilie:

Bond machine heading to ETAP, no news of the people on board. 

Providing you survive the crash, you have only a few minutes in the water at this time of year.   

 

I've been out on these helicopters.  I think the survival suits would help you last longer than a few minutes, even in winter?

How do you get out a helicopter in water?

 

BBC News just now - 500 metres from platform apparently. Who operates in ETAP?

If it's a controlled ditching they will be able to get into liferafts, ideally nobody would even get their feet wet.  It's speculation until we find out if it's a ditching or a crash.

 

How do you get out a helicopter in water?

 

BBC News just now - 500 metres from platform apparently. Who operates in ETAP?

 

BP

How do you get out a helicopter in water?

 

If its down under then you push the windows open.

If its on water you get out on to life rafts.

I know one of the Helicopter pilots on the BP-Jigsaw that is assisting with the SAR now and thats his estimate on survival time.

 

He reckons that once you're in the water, you've got minutes. Stay dry and obviously survival time increases dramatically.

 

Remember the RGIT/Falck Nutec pool when you did your survival? That was at room temp...and that was cold enough. A bit different from about 2 degC sea temp!

 

 

RAF guy on Sky News didn't have any details on which rig it was as yet.

Scary shit

Yeah, I think ETAP was mentioned as that is where the Search and Rescue helicopters are usually resident.

 

Mungo, Marnock, Machar and Monan comprise ETAP but as said its not been confirmed, it may be one nearby or anywhere in the Central North Sea within range. You've got Shearwater, Elgin-Franklin, Montrose, Arbroath, Clyde fairly close by.

 

Acutally, BP rep just said ETAP area. Fortunate in that respect as being closest to rescue opportunity.

Sky news - Helicopter ditching

BBC news 24 - Facebook story

Shit news, always my biggest fear when i step on the chopper. I would have thought you would survive longer with that suits on. I have to wear a thermal liner and 3 layers under my suit as well as taht is Shells policy dont know what other companys are like.

 

 

Looking at Bond website looks like there was a chopper due to go to ETAP and Galaxy 1 so could possibly be that one.

I think it sounds like a crash rather than a controlled ditching, that close to the rig there would be no reason to put it down in the water unless the pilot had no control.

 

 

I'm hearing it's a Bond aircraft, possibly an EC 225, approaching the Etap platform.

All people on board accounted for. 

 

 

*unconfirmed at this time, but that's from a man who should know.

All people on board accounted for. 

 

 

*unconfirmed at this time, but that's from a man who should know.

 

Great news!

Really hope you're right CtS.

On news now, all on board been rescued.

On news now, all on board been rescued.

 

Fantastic news. There would have been a lot of families holding their breath waiting to hear that!

Fantastic news. There would have been a lot of families holding their breath waiting to hear that!

Aye, I was worried like fuck when that nut job said there was a bomb on my dads rig, and can only say that this is much worse but with a fantastic outcome.

I know one of the Helicopter pilots on the BP-Jigsaw that is assisting with the SAR now and thats his estimate on survival time.

 

He reckons that once you're in the water, you've got minutes. Stay dry and obviously survival time increases dramatically.

 

Remember the RGIT/Falck Nutec pool when you did your survival? That was at room temp...and that was cold enough. A bit different from about 2 degC sea temp!

 

Boy from RAF Kinloss on BBC News said they could have survived in the water for a couple of hours.

 

He also said the helicopter is floating on water currently.

Fair enough, but I'd imagine it varies wildly. Probably the worst time of year for such a thing to happen as well. Hopefully never have to find out if its true or not.

 

Being on a rig and looking at the sea below at night makes my balls tingle at the thought of ever being in there. Never mind having the helicopter you're travelling in drop out of the sky. At night.

 

:shudder: