THE pilots of a helicopter that ditched in the North Sea have been praised for a "terrific piece of airmanship" after all 14 crew members and passengers escaped with minor injuries.

Video taken by the RNLI's volunteer crew on board the Peterhead lifeboat

The EC225 Super Puma was flying oil workers to two rigs yesterday when a low pressure oil warning light flashed in the cockpit, forcing it to come down in rough seas 30 miles from Aberdeen.

Seven of the passengers and both crew members were airlifted to shore in a rescue operation involving the Coastguard and RAF, and were treated for their injuries at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

Last night the aircraft's operators, Bond Offshore Helicopters, suspended all flights involving the model until further notice.

A union leader said the crew's intervention possibly prevented a repeat of the tragedy of three years ago when another type of Super Puma crashed in the North Sea, killing all 16 men on board.

Jim McAuslan, general secretary of the pilots' association Balpa, said it was "a terrific piece of airmanship from very skilled pilots". He added: "A helicopter ditching is one of the most difficult manoeuvres in commercial aviation and yet reports indicate that every passenger and crew member on board has been winched to safety.

"We pay the utmost tribute to the pilots involved in the incident and, of course, the search and rescue pilots who came to the passengers' and crew's aid."

The Super Puma was heading to the Maersk Resilient and Ensco 102 rigs at 12.09pm. Those on board made it on to an inflatable life raft where they were winched to safety by helicopters called to the scene along with two lifeboats.

RNLI lifeboat operations manager Maitland Miller, who was involved in the rescue, described the oil workers as being "amazingly calm".

He said: "They were in very good spirits. I think they were obviously glad to see us.

"They were absolutely amazing. I think it was just a textbook operation and the Bond pilots did a fantastic job getting the helicopter down safely."

Mr Maitland said the life raft had travelled a few hundred metres away from the ditched helicopter by the time they arrived.

He added: "It would have been scary for anyone, a frightening experience."

Consultant James Ferguson of Aberdeen Royal Infirmary also said the men were in good spirits. The remaining five passengers were ferried back to Aberdeen Harbour on a lifeboat. None required hospital treatment.

Rig operator Conoco Phillips said the passengers were contractors on their way to support the drilling rigs. Two of those on board worked for Halliburton and the others were from Ensco, Brundt and Stag.

In April 2009, a Bond Super Puma crashed into the North Sea in a tragedy which claimed the lives of all 16 men on board, including two pilots and 14 offshore workers.

Accident investigators blamed the disaster on a "catastrophic" gearbox failure. Bond has paid out £15 million to the victims' families.

Another 18 people escaped unharmed when a Super Puma ditched in the North Sea in February 2009.

Ashley Roy, Bond's director of commercial services, said: "It is the third incident in three years. However, thousands of hours are flown offshore in helicopters every year. Bond itself conducts over 40,000 flying hours per annum. Safety is our primary and first priority."

He added he was "delighted those on board were saved by the skill of our pilots".

First Minister Alex Salmond led calls for an urgent investigation, with the Air Accidents Investigation Branch having automatically been notified.

He said it as a "very concerning" time for friends and family of those on board the helicopter.

He added: "Incidents such as these remain very rare but do serve as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by those offshore workers who are required to use helicopters on a regular basis. Once all of those involved have been transferred ashore, the priority will be for the appropriate authorities to investigate the causes of this accident and ensure the future safety of flying operations in the North Sea."

Lisa Gregory, a partner at Balfour Manson, which acts for those involved in the February 2009 incident, said: "There has been a huge loss of confidence in [helicopter] safety among offshore workers.

"I speak to guys who work offshore who are forcing themselves to get onto aircraft and telling themselves they are safe."

The Unite union called for an urgent industry meeting to discuss helicopter safety.

A spokesman said: "Obviously the reason for the ditching has to be investigated, but Unite is calling for an urgent meeting of the Helicopter Steering Group to be convened."