Another one goes down.

[Funkstar]

Another chopper has ditched in the North Sea. Unlike the other month, this one hasn't been so lucky. 8 bodies recovered and hopes of finding the other 8 are fading fast too.

This isn't good. It really isn't.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/...st/7977899.stm

Offshore guys are generally pretty blasé about chopper trips, it's a bit like getting a minibus to work. Even after the one on 19th feb, no-one was hurt, a text book incident if you like. This is different.

I'm just really glad I'm not on a BP platform like I was back in February.

[GoNz0]

they said earlier the hospital is off alert as there not expecting to find them alive.

[dave87]

Yikes - when a helicopter hits the ground, all the heavy stuff is up top too


My thoughts go out to the families of those involved, can't imagine what it must be like...

[beanbandit]

Another chopper has ditched in the North Sea. Unlike the other month, this one hasn't been so lucky. 8 bodies recovered and hopes of finding the other 8 are fading fast too.

This isn't good. It really isn't.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/...st/7977899.stm

Offshore guys are generally pretty blasé about chopper trips, it's a bit like getting a minibus to work. Even after the one on 19th feb, no-one was hurt, a text book incident if you like. This is different.

I'm just really glad I'm not on a BP platform like I was back in February.

Being in a related industry to yours its never nice hearing this sort of thing, especially when we send people to some of those rigs.

My deepest condolences go out to the families who've lost loved ones.

[rox0r]

I come from a family of riggers and I've done the offshore RGIT courses with the helicopter sea ditch and it was one of the least pleasant experiences of my life so it sends a very cold shiver down my spine knowing what it will have been like for those poor souls onboard. Heart really does go out to those they left behind, a sad day indeed

[samcross]

Terrible news

Tbh they have pretty much no hope of finding them alive. In water that cold, they just wouldn't be able to survive the exposure.

As above condolences to the families of those involved.

[Funkstar]

they said earlier the hospital is off alert as there not expecting to find them alive.

They will have been in the water for almost 9 hours now. It doesn't look good, especially if they didn't get into a life raft, and by all accounts this didn't happen.

It really does make you realise what it is you do for a living. Perhaps not the great job it seems at times.

I really do feel for all the friends and families involved. Also for all the guys sitting offshore right now. There is something like 20,000 guys work out there at any one time.

[tiggerai]

I'm just glad I know you're here, not there.

it is pants tho... v sad

[strike-down]

I remember I did a work experience back in the day when I was at school at RNAS yeovilton. Went on the thing they call the dunker. You get put in the fusalage of a heli, then its dropped into a feezing cold pool of water and you have to try to escape from it. Now I found that quite stressful as I was disorientated, couldnt breathe, but had to keep calm. They repeated it, but with the lights off. Found that even worse.

But I couldnt imagine it in the north sea doing it for real, knowing there is no diver there just in case, especially if the weathers bad.

Like dave87 said, when a chopper hits the ground, you run like there is no tomorrow, unless you want to be part of the "dead chicken dance." Its scary enough when an RC heli does it and comes towards you, let alone the real thing.

I really do feel for the guys and their families. What a nasty end

[Funkstar]

I remember I did a work experience back in the day when I was at school at RNAS yeovilton. Went on the thing they call the dunker. You get put in the fusalage of a heli, then its dropped into a feezing cold pool of water and you have to try to escape from it. Now I found that quite stressful as I was disorientated, couldnt breathe, but had to keep calm. They repeated it, but with the lights off. Found that even worse.

We do that every 4 years. I have a bit of a water phobia, but i do this because if I didn't, I would have a job. Not a fun thing to do in the safety of a pool, I can't imagine what it would be like in real life. However people have said you go into automatic pilot and just get things done when you are in that situation.

[strike-down]

We do that every 4 years. I have a bit of a water phobia, but i do this because if I didn't, I would have a job. Not a fun thing to do in the safety of a pool, I can't imagine what it would be like in real life. However people have said you go into automatic pilot and just get things done when you are in that situation.

Its not easy at all, even in the safety of the pool. You dont know which ways up or down, left or right when the light are off.

If thats the field of work you're in, I wish you the best of luck funkstar. I have a huge amount of respect for the guys that work out there.

[Brucelles]

Too sad for words really.

[lego batman]

Do we think it's a problem with the helicopters or just bad luck?

[BUFF]

the 1st iirc is likely to come out as due to/involving poor visibility (fog) in the landing phase.
This one apparently happened on a day with weather "dry and settled in the area with light breezes, south easterly 3 veering southerly 4, visibility is moderate to good." & some distance from transitioning.

[TAKTAK]

Truly awful when something like this happens

My thoughts are with the family's of those involved, especially the family's of the as-of-yet unrecovered.

[Funkstar]

Do we think it's a problem with the helicopters or just bad luck?

I think serious questions will be raised about Bond Helicopters.

They are the smallest of the three offshore chopper operators, they are also one of the oldest names in the industry, founded in 1961. They merged with Norway’s Helikopter Services in 1996 which was sold to CHC Scotia in 1999. Five years later they resume offshore operations with a new fleet of helicopters.

So an old name with a lot of experience (presumably) and much newer birds than some that are used in the sector.

The last incident is reported to be due to a fault with an altimeter that reported they were higher than they thought they were. But there were in the landing phase anyway, so the ditching was likely to be controlled and relatively light. There was no emergency signal, so it's likely to be a catastrophic event.