Chopper ditching - Page 2

Heart-trouble · 02 March 2009, 17:02

was it the burbon dolphin? that was a new anchor handler, an awesome boat! shame about what happened

chewy · 02 March 2009, 17:09

I've never seen a ex-trawlers used as standby boats in the North Sea. I know they used to years ago but not now.
Trawlers are used as Guard vessels though and it was one of these that sank a while back.

I love the Sea Kings, weird been winched into one though!

Heart-trouble · 02 March 2009, 17:36

some of the grampian fleet are converted trawlers

chewy · 02 March 2009, 18:51

Oh yeh.

codprawn · 02 March 2009, 22:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heart-trouble

was it the burbon dolphin? that was a new anchor handler, an awesome boat! shame about what happened

No a guard vessel - that was terrible as well.

Just found it.

http://www.maib.gov.uk/publications/...7/Meridian.cfm

She was called the Meridian and was lost with all 4 crew. She was built in the 70s and was a capable ship. She had carried out guard duties before for up to 17 days including Winter operations. They don't really know what caused her to sink. Probably a capsize but what caused that is unknown. It was at least a Force 9 but she had handled far worse.

Despite a massive search she was never found.

iandl · 13 March 2009, 08:09

a few pics of the Jigsaw chopper ......its based on the Miller platform but i beleive its moving soon.

chewy · 13 March 2009, 12:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

No a guard vessel - that was terrible as well.

Just found it.

http://www.maib.gov.uk/publications/...7/Meridian.cfm

She was called the Meridian and was lost with all 4 crew. She was built in the 70s and was a capable ship. She had carried out guard duties before for up to 17 days including Winter operations. They don't really know what caused her to sink. Probably a capsize but what caused that is unknown. It was at least a Force 9 but she had handled far worse.

Despite a massive search she was never found.

It seems as though she had a point where waves would increase her to roll and she would roll in sync with the waves, ie rolling more and more with each one until she went over. I think the waves were 5 secs apart and the point at which she was affected was 5.5.

JSP · 13 March 2009, 13:05

Not sure if this is the same incident?

Friend of mine, Terry Cavner (I've posted photos' of his on here of the oil RIG's) was at the scene.
http://www.photography-cafe.com/gall...pos=6&uid=1046

chewy · 13 March 2009, 14:10

Thats the same one, the air bags you can see are attached to the chopper.

iandl · 13 March 2009, 14:16

just heard from a good friend of mine who was on the Sea Rose FPSO in canada ...an S91 ditched yesterday .....16 are still missing ......their attached plb's arent putting out a signal....the chopper was outbound but returning to base after a technical fault when it went down
sad day for our canadian cousins and friends

I

JSP · 13 March 2009, 14:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by chewy

Thats the same one, the air bags you can see are attached to the chopper.

Thought so

JSP · 13 March 2009, 14:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by iandl

just heard from a good friend of mine who was on the Sea Rose FPSO in canada ...an S91 ditched yesterday .....16 are still missing ......their attached plb's arent putting out a signal....the chopper was outbound but returning to base after a technical fault when it went down
sad day for our canadian cousins and friends

I

Oh no.

Alan · 13 March 2009, 17:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by iandl

just heard from a good friend of mine who was on the Sea Rose FPSO in canada ...an S91 ditched yesterday .....16 are still missing ......their attached plb's arent putting out a signal....the chopper was outbound but returning to base after a technical fault when it went down
sad day for our canadian cousins and friends

I

It was a Cougar S92, 18 persons on board. Two were going to the Hibernia Platform and Fourteen to the Sea Rose FPSO. The pilot reported main gearbox failure about 40nm from St John's outbound and turned back but contact was lost 8 mins after the Mayday was received. An ice patrol plane was on scene 25mins later and another S92 shortly after that. One survivor and one body were taken aboard. A search has been continuing since wth no luck in finding anyone else. The chopper sank shortly after it crashed. At this stage (30hrs or so after the event), sadly I don't think they will find anyone else alive.

More here: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundlan...arch-nfld.html

Newfoundland is a small place and many people have friends and family in the offshore and unfortunately on that chopper. My nextdoor neighbour is on the Sea Rose & thankfully he was onshore at the time. Nothing this bad has happened in this part of the world since the Ocean Ranger rig was lost back in the mid 80's.

Rogue Wave · 14 March 2009, 00:54

That's very bad news...verry sorry to hear it

prairie tuber · 14 March 2009, 14:10

This is a horrible tragedy for people Newfoundland.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of those who have been lost.

codprawn · 14 March 2009, 22:49

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=09d_1237007078

Video here.

Really terrible - so sad for all involved.

Alan · 15 March 2009, 15:51

They have located the Helicopter on the ocean floor at 400ft depth. Recovery is planned for tommorrow or Tuesday.

As I say this is a small place and people are very interconnected. My wife found out yesterday that one of the guys she used to sail with was lost on the chopper & a friend of ours lost his cousin.

Sad times.

codprawn · 21 March 2009, 19:13

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/...st/7956679.stm

Just seen this on the BBC - all Scottish coastguard helicopters now grounded as a resuly of the Canadian accident. Apparently a gearbox mounting broke.

iandl · 21 March 2009, 20:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/...st/7956679.stm

Just seen this on the BBC - all Scottish coastguard helicopters now grounded as a resuly of the Canadian accident. Apparently a gearbox mounting broke.

yes we got the memo today with regards to SAR S92's ......we also got a note from CHC saying that all PLB's are to be de-activated prior to flights due to safety concerns of interferance of the passenger plb's and the aircraft's primary locater beacons.
something out of the accident a few weeks ago of the Etap platform i think

we are quite lucky out here that we have Bond 1 (jigsaw chopper) only 10mins away .....we refuelled it today ...what a cracker of a chopper ....reg no G-REDP if anyone wants to look it up on database

I

Alan · 24 March 2009, 11:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/...st/7956679.stm

Just seen this on the BBC - all Scottish coastguard helicopters now grounded as a resuly of the Canadian accident. Apparently a gearbox mounting broke.

Not correct. Analysis of the gearbox of the crashed S92 showed that a 'pin' was broken but at this stage it is not clear whether it broke before or after the impact. Sikorsky had a service bulletin to change the titanium pin for a steel one within 1 year or 1250hrs issued in Jan. Cougar 491 had operated 180hrs when it crashed. That change is now being made mandatory hence the worldwide grounding of S92's until it is accomplished.