Hunt for seventh victim after helicopter crash at sea
28th December 2006
A Royal Air Force rescue helicopter prepares to continue the search for the seventh victim
The helicopter crashed innto the Irish Sea, 20 miles off Morecambe Bay in the North West of England
One person is still missing following a helicopter crash in the Irish Sea 20 miles off Morecambe Bay.
The helicopter, carrying five passengers and two crew, ditched in the sea on Wednesday.
A massive rescue operation was launched and six bodies, all men, were found. The search is continuing for the seventh person.
Detective Superintendent Mick Gradwell of Lancashire Constabulary told a press conference at Blackpool Airport: "The helicopter had been travelling around various rigs in Morecambe Bay.
"I am sad to say at the moment we have recovered six bodies and the search continues for the outstanding person."
Mr Gradwell said a number of people had witnessed the helicopter ditching into the sea from a drilling platform.
He said the witnesses were being brought back to the mainland to be interviewed as investigators attempted to establish the cause of the crash.
He said the helicopter had left Blackpool at about 6pm and was visiting two rigs to bring workers back to shore.
It is understood the helicopter was making its last call at the drilling platform when it ditched into the sea, at about 6.40pm.
Rescue helicopters from RAF Valley and RAF Leconfield were dispatched to search for survivors, as were two lifeboats - from Barrow and Fleetwood - coastguard crews and support vessels.
Anthony Topping, watch manager for Liverpool coastguard, said a third lifeboat had joined in the search for the remaining missing person.
He told GMTV: "An additional lifeboat from Lytham St Annes is launching at the moment to support the search."
Mr Topping added: "We are still hopeful of finding the seventh person. Rescue units have been searching throughout the night and with daylight a couple of hours away we are hopeful of certainly locating the seventh person."
Aviation expert David Learmont told GMTV: "Helicopters fly very low so if they get into severe distress for some reason there isn't very much time to sort thing out before you put the helicopter down.
"It is a bit of mystery, this one. It is a pretty hazardous environment but in the 70s and 80s an event like this would not have been all that unusual. Now it is very rare.
"Modern helicopter technology, very much better safety procedures and diagnostic equipment which works in real time and tells them that a problem had not arrived but is on its way, makes this very unlikely."
Mr Learmont added: "These helicopters have two engines. They both power through the same overhead rotor and single gearbox but nevertheless they could fly with one engine only so you are left wondering what went wrong here.
"But I think that whatever it was that did go wrong happened very, very quickly because the other thing is they actually have flotation devices, bags that inflate so you can set down on the sea if it is reasonably calm and that give you plenty of time to get out."
Mr Mulford, from the rescue centre at RAF Kinloss, said another helicopter from RAF Valley would join the search at 8am.
Speaking on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, he said: "They will hopefully determine the fate of this seventh and final person."
Mr Mulford said that, as the hours went by, "fears were growing" for the missing person.
He said: "In the rescue business you never say never but you have to temper that with being quite realistic about someone's chances of survival.
"As each hour goes by, clearly the fears grow for the safety of anyone still in the water.
"It's not unknown to survive beyond what the good book says you should survive but keep in mind that you really must be very realistic about it."
dailymail.co.uk
28th December 2006
A Royal Air Force rescue helicopter prepares to continue the search for the seventh victim
The helicopter crashed innto the Irish Sea, 20 miles off Morecambe Bay in the North West of England
One person is still missing following a helicopter crash in the Irish Sea 20 miles off Morecambe Bay.
The helicopter, carrying five passengers and two crew, ditched in the sea on Wednesday.
A massive rescue operation was launched and six bodies, all men, were found. The search is continuing for the seventh person.
Detective Superintendent Mick Gradwell of Lancashire Constabulary told a press conference at Blackpool Airport: "The helicopter had been travelling around various rigs in Morecambe Bay.
"I am sad to say at the moment we have recovered six bodies and the search continues for the outstanding person."
Mr Gradwell said a number of people had witnessed the helicopter ditching into the sea from a drilling platform.
He said the witnesses were being brought back to the mainland to be interviewed as investigators attempted to establish the cause of the crash.
He said the helicopter had left Blackpool at about 6pm and was visiting two rigs to bring workers back to shore.
It is understood the helicopter was making its last call at the drilling platform when it ditched into the sea, at about 6.40pm.
Rescue helicopters from RAF Valley and RAF Leconfield were dispatched to search for survivors, as were two lifeboats - from Barrow and Fleetwood - coastguard crews and support vessels.
Anthony Topping, watch manager for Liverpool coastguard, said a third lifeboat had joined in the search for the remaining missing person.
He told GMTV: "An additional lifeboat from Lytham St Annes is launching at the moment to support the search."
Mr Topping added: "We are still hopeful of finding the seventh person. Rescue units have been searching throughout the night and with daylight a couple of hours away we are hopeful of certainly locating the seventh person."
Aviation expert David Learmont told GMTV: "Helicopters fly very low so if they get into severe distress for some reason there isn't very much time to sort thing out before you put the helicopter down.
"It is a bit of mystery, this one. It is a pretty hazardous environment but in the 70s and 80s an event like this would not have been all that unusual. Now it is very rare.
"Modern helicopter technology, very much better safety procedures and diagnostic equipment which works in real time and tells them that a problem had not arrived but is on its way, makes this very unlikely."
Mr Learmont added: "These helicopters have two engines. They both power through the same overhead rotor and single gearbox but nevertheless they could fly with one engine only so you are left wondering what went wrong here.
"But I think that whatever it was that did go wrong happened very, very quickly because the other thing is they actually have flotation devices, bags that inflate so you can set down on the sea if it is reasonably calm and that give you plenty of time to get out."
Mr Mulford, from the rescue centre at RAF Kinloss, said another helicopter from RAF Valley would join the search at 8am.
Speaking on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, he said: "They will hopefully determine the fate of this seventh and final person."
Mr Mulford said that, as the hours went by, "fears were growing" for the missing person.
He said: "In the rescue business you never say never but you have to temper that with being quite realistic about someone's chances of survival.
"As each hour goes by, clearly the fears grow for the safety of anyone still in the water.
"It's not unknown to survive beyond what the good book says you should survive but keep in mind that you really must be very realistic about it."
dailymail.co.uk