Safety fears after fault found in North Sea helicopter

Published on Thursday 22 October 2009 00:28

CONCERNS were raised yesterday over the safety of helicopters operating in the North Sea after the discovery of a hairline crack in the gearbox of a Sikorsky S-92 based on Shetland.

A senior engineer from Sikorsky is understood to have flown to Shetland following reports that faults have been found in at least one of the three helicopters operated by Bristow from Scatsta Airport.

In March, every Sikorsky S-92 helicopter in the world was temporarily withdrawn from service after an S-92 crashed off the east coast of Canada, killing the 17 people on board, but the new safety alert is unrelated to the Canadian tragedy.

A spokeswoman for Bristow said: "Safety is always our first priority and our clients have been kept fully informed. Bristow has been complying fully with the enhanced inspection regime required by all operators worldwide by Sikorsky during the manufacturer's investigation of cracks reported in some S-92 gearbox feet."