Air transport to Norwegian offshore oil and gas installations in the North Sea was suspended Thursday after a Sikorsky S-92 helicopter crashed during a training mission Wednesday night. One of the six on board was killed.
Hospital officials in Bergen reported Thursday morning that one person was also critically injured and another seriously injured, while the three others on board suffered minor injuries.
They all landed in the icy cold water off Sotra, west of Bergen and were in the water for up to 50 minutes before being hoisted up by rescue crews. All were wearing survival suits, with officials saying that helped save lives.
The helicopter was part of the search and rescue service for the Oseberg area of the North Sea. Officials at state oil company Equinor, which controls most of the offshore installations in the area, said the firm “was in mourning” since some of those involved in the accident were Equinor employees. “This is a deeply tragic incident, and a sad day for many,” said Equinor CEO Anders Opedal.
An investigation into the cause of the accident was underway. Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) reported that other Sikorsky S-92 helicopters have been involved in three serious incidents in Norway since 2020 but Opedal said Equinor still has confidence in the helicopter’s operating firm Bristow. “We need to learn from all incidents that occur, so we can continue to strengthen security for those working in the North Sea,” Opedal said.
NewsinEnglish.no staff
