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| Norway helicopter crash: 'Technical error to blame' | Norway helicopter crash: 'Technical error to blame' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A technical error was almost certainly behind the helicopter crash in which 13 people died on Friday, Norway's Accident Investigation Board says. | A technical error was almost certainly behind the helicopter crash in which 13 people died on Friday, Norway's Accident Investigation Board says. |
| "On the basis of the facts we have, this involves a technical fault; it isn't human error," the director of the board's aviation department said. | "On the basis of the facts we have, this involves a technical fault; it isn't human error," the director of the board's aviation department said. |
| The Airbus H225 Super Puma crashed in the North Sea after picking up passengers from an oil platform. | The Airbus H225 Super Puma crashed in the North Sea after picking up passengers from an oil platform. |
| Thirteen people died - 11 Norwegians, a Briton and an Italian. | Thirteen people died - 11 Norwegians, a Briton and an Italian. |
| Some of the victims' families have chosen not to identify them publicly. The Briton has been named as Iain Stuart, from Laurencekirk in Aberdeenshire. | |
| Footage of the crash showed the helicopter's rotor detached from the body of the aircraft and spinning through the air. | Footage of the crash showed the helicopter's rotor detached from the body of the aircraft and spinning through the air. |
| A warning light had come on in the cockpit of the helicopter on two occasions in the days before the crash, resulting in two components being changed. | A warning light had come on in the cockpit of the helicopter on two occasions in the days before the crash, resulting in two components being changed. |
| Airbus (formerly Eurocopter) H225 Super Puma | Airbus (formerly Eurocopter) H225 Super Puma |
| Widely used in offshore oil and gas industry around the world; more than 220 in service. | Widely used in offshore oil and gas industry around the world; more than 220 in service. |
| But the Super Puma's recent history is blighted by several accidents: | But the Super Puma's recent history is blighted by several accidents: |
| On Tuesday the aviation director of Norway's Accident Investigation Board, Kaare Halvorsen told reporters that they were "as certain as they can be" that a technical problem caused the crash, rather than human error. | On Tuesday the aviation director of Norway's Accident Investigation Board, Kaare Halvorsen told reporters that they were "as certain as they can be" that a technical problem caused the crash, rather than human error. |
| Mr Halvorsen confirmed that the crew had no time to send an emergency message before the crash. | Mr Halvorsen confirmed that the crew had no time to send an emergency message before the crash. |
| He told Norway's VG website that there had been less than one second between the fault appearing and the helicopter's flight recorder coming to a halt. The recorder is thought to have stopped working when the rotor became detached. | He told Norway's VG website that there had been less than one second between the fault appearing and the helicopter's flight recorder coming to a halt. The recorder is thought to have stopped working when the rotor became detached. |
| Safety disputed | |
| But he stressed that the investigation - in which British and French experts are participating - was at an early stage and no conclusions could yet be drawn. | But he stressed that the investigation - in which British and French experts are participating - was at an early stage and no conclusions could yet be drawn. |
| The Super Pumas remain grounded in both Norway and the UK, though their manufacturer, Airbus, said on Monday that it was no longer recommending a blanket ban on their use. It insists the fleet is safe. | The Super Pumas remain grounded in both Norway and the UK, though their manufacturer, Airbus, said on Monday that it was no longer recommending a blanket ban on their use. It insists the fleet is safe. |
| The Offshore Co-ordinating Group, which co-ordinates trade union policy and campaigns in the oil and gas sector, released a statement calling for the H225 helicopter to be grounded until the cause of Friday's crash was established. | |
| "Workers in both the Norwegian and UK sectors must have genuine guarantees from regulators before flights in this aircraft can be considered," said group chair Tommy Campbell. | |
| "Statements from manufacturers and operators will not suffice." |