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| Super Puma crash 'might have been prevented' | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| An inquiry into the deaths of 16 men in a North Sea helicopter crash has concluded that the accident could have been prevented. | An inquiry into the deaths of 16 men in a North Sea helicopter crash has concluded that the accident could have been prevented. |
| All on board died when the Bond Super Puma came down in 2009. | All on board died when the Bond Super Puma came down in 2009. |
| Relatives have called for a criminal inquiry, but the Crown Office defended its decision not to prosecute. | Relatives have called for a criminal inquiry, but the Crown Office defended its decision not to prosecute. |
| Sheriff Principal Derek Pyle said the precautions which might have avoided the deaths included following agreed procedures and communications. | |
| He said the operators had considered replacing part of the gearbox just a week before the crash but did not do so because of a failure of communication with the manufacturer. | He said the operators had considered replacing part of the gearbox just a week before the crash but did not do so because of a failure of communication with the manufacturer. |
| Sheriff Pyle said: "During the course of the inquiry there was much discussion about the circumstances which led Bond not to follow the clear terms of the maintenance. | Sheriff Pyle said: "During the course of the inquiry there was much discussion about the circumstances which led Bond not to follow the clear terms of the maintenance. |
| "Bond readily acknowledged that they ought to have done so. | "Bond readily acknowledged that they ought to have done so. |
| "The essential fact is that everyone in the company well knew that maintenance must be done by the book. | "The essential fact is that everyone in the company well knew that maintenance must be done by the book. |
| "On one occasion, that fundamental rule was broken. It resulted in the failure to detect a significant fault in the helicopter's gearbox, which possibly - but only possibly - resulted in the crash." | "On one occasion, that fundamental rule was broken. It resulted in the failure to detect a significant fault in the helicopter's gearbox, which possibly - but only possibly - resulted in the crash." |
| The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) pinpointed a catastrophic failure of the gearbox in its examination of the crash. | The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) pinpointed a catastrophic failure of the gearbox in its examination of the crash. |
| Sheriff Pyle acknowledged that the exact cause of the gearbox failure which led to the crash could not be fully determined. | Sheriff Pyle acknowledged that the exact cause of the gearbox failure which led to the crash could not be fully determined. |
| He concluded that on the balance of probabilities the spalling - the fracturing of metal - in the gearbox was the probable cause of the accident. | He concluded that on the balance of probabilities the spalling - the fracturing of metal - in the gearbox was the probable cause of the accident. |
| Lawyer Tom Marshall, for the families, said he was pleased the sheriff principal had accepted that the crash could have been prevented if Bond had followed the maintenance manual. | Lawyer Tom Marshall, for the families, said he was pleased the sheriff principal had accepted that the crash could have been prevented if Bond had followed the maintenance manual. |
| He said there was a need for a wider public inquiry, and that the families wanted to meet the Lord Advocate to discuss the earlier decision not to pursue criminal prosecutions. | He said there was a need for a wider public inquiry, and that the families wanted to meet the Lord Advocate to discuss the earlier decision not to pursue criminal prosecutions. |
| Audrey Wood, whose son Stuart died, said: "Safety is absolutely paramount, and everything must be done by the book. | Audrey Wood, whose son Stuart died, said: "Safety is absolutely paramount, and everything must be done by the book. |
| "We, the families, feel let down by the system. We just wanted answers. | "We, the families, feel let down by the system. We just wanted answers. |
| "We will never have closure, this will go on and on for us." | "We will never have closure, this will go on and on for us." |
| Helicopter operator Bond said: "We have always accepted that we made mistakes through honest confusion over telephone calls and emails. | Helicopter operator Bond said: "We have always accepted that we made mistakes through honest confusion over telephone calls and emails. |
| "Lessons needed to be learned, lessons have been learned and lessons continue to be learned. | "Lessons needed to be learned, lessons have been learned and lessons continue to be learned. |
| "We would like to express again our deep sorrow at the 16 lives lost. | "We would like to express again our deep sorrow at the 16 lives lost. |
| "Bond Offshore hopes that Sheriff Principal Pyle's determination brings a degree of closure to the families, friends and dependents of those who died in the tragedy of 2009." | "Bond Offshore hopes that Sheriff Principal Pyle's determination brings a degree of closure to the families, friends and dependents of those who died in the tragedy of 2009." |
| Tommy Campbell, from the Unite union, said it was a "travesty of justice" that there had not been a criminal prosecution. | Tommy Campbell, from the Unite union, said it was a "travesty of justice" that there had not been a criminal prosecution. |
| He also called for the decision to be reconsidered, and added: "These failings have cost lives." | He also called for the decision to be reconsidered, and added: "These failings have cost lives." |
| A Crown Office spokesman said Crown Counsel had "fully assessed" the evidence before deciding there was not enough evidence for a prosecution. | A Crown Office spokesman said Crown Counsel had "fully assessed" the evidence before deciding there was not enough evidence for a prosecution. |
| "For a criminal prosecution to have taken place, the Crown would have to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. The Sheriff Principal makes clear that a reasonable doubt remained over the technical cause of the crash. | "For a criminal prosecution to have taken place, the Crown would have to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. The Sheriff Principal makes clear that a reasonable doubt remained over the technical cause of the crash. |
| "The evidence presented during the FAI has not altered the insufficiency of evidence, therefore the decision not to hold criminal proceedings remains the correct one. | "The evidence presented during the FAI has not altered the insufficiency of evidence, therefore the decision not to hold criminal proceedings remains the correct one. |
| "We will be offering to meet relatives again to discuss the Sheriff Principal's judgement." | "We will be offering to meet relatives again to discuss the Sheriff Principal's judgement." |
| A six-week hearing into the crash was held in Aberdeen earlier this year. | A six-week hearing into the crash was held in Aberdeen earlier this year. |
| It heard evidence from the helicopter operator Bond Offshore Helicopters and manufacturer Eurocopter, as well as crash investigators. | It heard evidence from the helicopter operator Bond Offshore Helicopters and manufacturer Eurocopter, as well as crash investigators. |
| Senior AAIB operations investigator Timothy Atkinson told the fatal accident inquiry that the gearbox failure meant there was nothing the crew could do - and the crash was "not survivable". | Senior AAIB operations investigator Timothy Atkinson told the fatal accident inquiry that the gearbox failure meant there was nothing the crew could do - and the crash was "not survivable". |
| Eight of the victims came from the north east of Scotland, seven from the rest of the UK, and one from Latvia. | Eight of the victims came from the north east of Scotland, seven from the rest of the UK, and one from Latvia. |
| The two crew who died were Capt Paul Burnham, 31, of Methlick, Aberdeenshire, and co-pilot Richard Menzies, 24, of Droitwich Spa, who worked for Bond Offshore Helicopters. | The two crew who died were Capt Paul Burnham, 31, of Methlick, Aberdeenshire, and co-pilot Richard Menzies, 24, of Droitwich Spa, who worked for Bond Offshore Helicopters. |
| The KCA Deutag employees killed were Brian Barkley, 30, of Aberdeen; Vernon Elrick, 41, of Aberdeen; Leslie Taylor, 41, of Kintore, Aberdeenshire; Nairn Ferrier, 40, of Dundee; Gareth Hughes, 53, of Angus; David Rae, 63, of Dumfries; Raymond Doyle, 57, of Cumbernauld; James John Edwards, 33, of Liverpool; Nolan Goble, 34, of Norwich, and Mihails Zuravskis, 39, of Latvia. | The KCA Deutag employees killed were Brian Barkley, 30, of Aberdeen; Vernon Elrick, 41, of Aberdeen; Leslie Taylor, 41, of Kintore, Aberdeenshire; Nairn Ferrier, 40, of Dundee; Gareth Hughes, 53, of Angus; David Rae, 63, of Dumfries; Raymond Doyle, 57, of Cumbernauld; James John Edwards, 33, of Liverpool; Nolan Goble, 34, of Norwich, and Mihails Zuravskis, 39, of Latvia. |
| The other victims were James Costello, 24, of Aberdeen, who was contracted to Production Services Network (PSN); Alex Dallas, 62, of Aberdeen, who worked for Sparrows Offshore Services; Warren Mitchell, 38, of Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire, who worked for Weatherford UK; and Stuart Wood, 27, of Aberdeen, who worked for Expro North Sea Ltd. | The other victims were James Costello, 24, of Aberdeen, who was contracted to Production Services Network (PSN); Alex Dallas, 62, of Aberdeen, who worked for Sparrows Offshore Services; Warren Mitchell, 38, of Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire, who worked for Weatherford UK; and Stuart Wood, 27, of Aberdeen, who worked for Expro North Sea Ltd. |