Industry news
More helicopters to be grounded
Posted Mon, 14 May 2012
More aircraft have been grounded by Bond Offshore Helicopters after one of their Eurocopter helicopters was ditched in the North Sea last week.
An investigation into the cause of last week's crash showed a problem in the helicopter's gearbox, and in response the company have decided to ground their EC225 and AS332L2 Eurocopter Super Pumas.
It was an EC225 model which had to be ditched 25 miles off the Aberdeen coast on Thursday. It was carrying two crew and 12 passengers at the time. The investigation of the helicopter by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) found a crack in the gearbox shaft.
An AS332L2 Super Puma helicopter drowned in April 2009 when flying between the North Sea Miller Platform and Aberdeen. 14 offshore workers and two crewmen died in that incident. The AAIB report into that crash said the Eurocopter's gearbox has suffered a "catastrophic failure".
A Spokesman said that Bond Offshore Helicopters and Eurocopter are working together to find a solution that would allow the helicopters to return to service.
Copyright Press Association 2012