http://www.ad.nl/buitenland/3129203/Gecrashte_helikopter_gevonden_in_Noordzee.html zondag 05 april 2009
Gecrashte helikopter gevonden in Noordzee
LONDEN - De helikopter die woensdag in de Noordzee neerstortte, is zondag teruggevonden op de bodem van de zee. In het toestel troffen de bergingswerkers ook zeven lichamen aan, onder wie de piloot en de co-piloot, meldde de BBC.
In totaal zijn daarmee de lichamen van vijftien van de zestien inzittenden geborgen. Naar het laatste stoffelijk overschot wordt nog gezocht.
Het is niet bekend wanneer het toestel geborgen wordt, De helikopter ligt op een diepte van honderd meter, op 55 kilometer van de kust van Schotland. Onderzoekers proberen zo snel mogelijk de vluchtgegevens uit de helikopter boven water te krijgen.
Olieplatform
De helikopter stortte ten noordoosten van de Schotse kust neer. Het toestel was onderweg van een olieplatform van de Britse oliemaatschappij BP, dat 270 kilometer van de kust ligt, naar het vasteland.
BP heeft het gebruik van dit type helikopters voorlopig opgeschort. Twee maanden geleden crashte ook al een helikopter van hetzelfde type in de Noordzee. Alle inzittenden overleefden die crash.
(ANP)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/north_east/7984332.stmMore helicopter bodies recovered
Richard Menzies and Paul Burnham
The bodies of Mr Menzies (left) and Mr Burnham were among those found
Those who died in North Sea crash
Seven more bodies have been found inside the fuselage of the helicopter that crashed into the North Sea, killing all 16 men on board.
The wreckage of the
Super Puma was located on the sea bed by the Bibby Topaz salvage vessel.
The discovery brings the total number of bodies recovered to 15. Specialist divers are continuing to search for the last missing body.
The helicopter crashed off the Aberdeenshire coast on Wednesday.
Grampian Police said they believed two of the recovered bodies were the pilot and co-pilot, Paul Burnham, 31, from Methlick in Aberdeenshire, and Richard Menzies, 24, of Droitwich Spa in Worcestershire.
A spokesman for the force confirmed: "As a result of the ongoing effort, seven of the remaining eight victims have been recovered by divers onto a vessel at the scene.
"Families of all the victims have been informed of the current situation.
"The search operation for the last remaining body continues."
The emergency services have been working extremely hard and doing their absolute best to make sure all the bodies are recovered and identified
Kenny MacAskill
Justice secretary
It was not yet known when the bodies would be taken ashore.
The helicopter was said to be lying about 100m under the surface. It had been returning from BP's Miller oil platform when it crashed some 15 miles off Peterhead at 1400 BST on Wednesday.
It was operated by British firm Bond Offshore Helicopters. BP has said it had discontinued use of the helicopters for an unspecified period.
Diving teams have been working at the scene of the crash since Saturday afternoon trying to locate the wreckage and the cockpit voice and data recorder.
Prayers for the dead men were said at a special service at the St Nicholas Church in Aberdeen on Sunday morning.
Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: "The recovery of more bodies is sad, but hopefully it can provide some little comfort and solace for grieving families.
"We know that it's vital that the helicopter is found to try and find out what caused the crash and to learn lessons and seek to avoid further tragedies.
"I know the emergency services have been working extremely hard and doing their absolute best to make sure all the bodies are recovered and identified as quickly as possible."
Grampian Police said on Saturday night they had identified all eight of the bodies which had been recovered by that stage.
Bibby Topaz
The Bibby Topaz is above the wreckage of the Super Puma
The bodies of Brian Barkley, 30, of Aberdeen; James Edwards, 33, of Liverpool; Vernon Elrick, 41, of Aberdeen; and Mihails Zuravskis, 39, from Latvia, were identified on Saturday. All four men were employed by KCA Deutag.
Raymond Doyle, 57, from Cumbernauld; Nairn Ferrier, 40, from Dundee; Warren Mitchell, 38, of Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire; and Stuart Wood, 27, from Aberdeen, had been formally identified the previous day.
Mr Doyle and Mr Ferrier also worked for KCA Deutag. Mr Wood was employed by Expro North Sea, while Mr Mitchell was employed by Weatherford UK.
Among the other men who died were four further KCA Deutag employees - Nolan Carl Goble, 34, of Norwich; Gareth Hughes, 53, of Angus; David Rae, 63, of Dumfries and Leslie Taylor, 41, of Kintore, Aberdeenshire.
James Costello, 24, from Aberdeen, who worked for contractor PSN, and Alex Dallas, 62, also from Aberdeen, who was employed by Sparrow Offshores Services, also died.
