WORKERS in the oil industry have launched a mass campaign to have the type of helicopter involved in the fatal crash off Shetland taken out of service.
Amid a huge outpouring of grief and anger following the deaths of four colleagues, they are calling for Super Pumas to be permanently grounded. It was the fifth North Sea ditching involving the aircraft in four years.
Sixteen workers and two crew were on board as the helicopter fell into the sea around 6.20pm on Friday about two miles from Sumburgh airport on Shetland. It had been flying from the Borgsten Dolphin platform and experienced a "catastrophic" loss of power.
Sarah Darnley, from Elgin; Duncan Munro, from Bishop Auckland; Gary McCrosson, from Inverness; and George Allison, from Winchester, all died.
About 20,000 people are supporting a Facebook campaign "Destroy the Super Puma", while just fewer than 4000 have signed a separate petition calling for the long-term use of alternative helicopters, such as S-92s made by Sikorsky.
Super Pumas make up the bulk of the fleet servicing the rigs in the North Sea, with a smaller number of S-92s and Westland aircraft also in use.
Dozens of oil workers have described their fear of flying in Super Pumas, with one man saying its design made it difficult to get out after a crash.
Paul Dunbar, an oil worker from Huntly, Aberdeenshire, on the Facebook campaign page, said: "Everyone is focusing on the ditching, and not the reason on why the four were unable to survive.
"I dread flying in these tin cans, being packed in like sardines, with small escape windows - surviving a ditching is the first obstacle, getting out of the cabin alive especially if the helicopter rolls over is another. I would hate to think that these poor souls lost their lives due to not being able to get out of the cabin.
"Travel in a S-92 and the confidence level of escape in case of an incident is much higher - larger cabin, larger escape windows - just feels like a sturdier, more modern and safer machine."
Gordon Scollay put his name to the petition which called on MSPs, the unions and employers to take action to replace the Super Pumas.
He said: "I am an offshore worker and have had no faith in the Super Puma choppers for a long time. These should be removed from service and replaced by S-92 aircraft."
Louisa Bayliss added: "These helicopters needed to be grounded permanently. I don't want to receive the devastating call about my husband that the families of the recent victims have received."
Stan McCloy added: "This needs addressed as far too many people have lost there life travelling to work in the North Sea on these Puma helicopters. We need better service helicopters like they use in the Norwegian sector."
On Saturday, a helicopter safety group recommended all Super Puma UK offshore commercial passenger flights be suspended. The move followed a decision by CHC Helicopter, the company that operated the helicopter that crashed on Friday, to suspend all Super Puma AS332L2 operations.
The same model was involved in a North Sea crash in April 2009 that killed all 14 passengers and two crew on board. Its gearbox failed on the way to Aberdeen.
A different Super Puma model - the EC225 - has been involved in three separate incidents since 2009. Passengers and crew all survived when a Bond Offshore Helicopters-operated EC225 went down east of Aberdeen in February 2009. Last year, the EC225 was involved in two separate ditchings in the North Sea. All passengers and crew were rescued in both incidents, found to be caused by gearbox problems.
Bond has also halted operations of its Super Puma fleet.
Tommy Campbell, regional officer for Unite, said the campaign was a reflection of how angry and upset offshore workers were. He called for more investment in the helicopter fleet.
"This campaign is an indication of the lack of confidence the workforce have in the Super Pumas. We welcome the news that all the Super Pumas have now been grounded," he said.
"There is a huge issue now for the oil and gas industry, which is extremely wealthy, to look at making a significant investment in modernising and creating a fleet of helicopters that are all definitely fit for purpose."
David Petrie, of Oil and Gas UK, a group representing businesses involved in the offshore sector, would not comment on the campaign launched by workers.
He said: "Our priorities at the moment are the safety of the workforce, supporting the families and friends of those involved in the crash on Friday and trying to get the craft out of the water."
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