UK: Offshore Helicopter Forced to Ditch into North Sea

Aberdeen Coastguard has confirmed that a helicopter has been forced to ditch into the North Sea 30 miles east of Aberdeen. 14 people on board have been confirmed to be in a liferaft and rescue units are now on scene.

Aberdeen Coastguard was alerted at 12.15pm that a Bond helicopter was on route from Aberdeen to Maersk Resilient and then onwards to ENSCO 102, (jack up drilling rigs) when they broadcast an alert that they were forced to ditch the aircraft into the sea.

Bond Offshore Helicopters is a British Helicopter operator, specialising in providing offshore helicopter transportation services between Aberdeen, Scotland and several North Sea oil platforms.

In 2009, a Bond Eurocopter EC225 Super Puma also ditched in the North Sea. It was on its way to a BP oil platform, when it crashed 500 meters from its destination. All 18 aboard were rescued.

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Offshore Energy Today Staff, May 10, 2012; Image: Eurocopter