Helicopter involved in fatal crash will resume flights in UK

The helicopter model involved in a fatal crash off the Norwegian coast last year is set to fly in the UK again after it was grounded in the wake of the tragedy.

Eleven passengers and two crew members were killed when the Super Puma 225 aircraft came down near the city of Bergen in April last year.

British oil worker Iain Stuart, from Laurencekirk in Aberdeenshire, was among those who died in the crash.

It led to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) grounding all UK commercial passenger flights using the Airbus model.

The European Aviation Safety Authority released the helicopter back into service in October 2016 but flights were still restricted in the UK.

The CAA said it was now satisfied that changes have been put in place and intends to remove restrictions but flights will not resume immediately.

Manufacturer Airbus has to meet new conditions including the earlier replacement of components and more frequent inspections.

John McColl, head of airworthiness at the UK CAA, said: This is not a decision we have taken lightly.

It has only been made after receiving extensive information from the Norwegian accident investigators and being satisfied with the subsequent changes introduced by Airbus Helicopters through detailed assessment and analysis.

The safety of those who travel on offshore helicopter flights is a key priority for both the UK and Norwegian aviation authorities.

We would not have made this decision unless we were convinced that the changes to the helicopters and their maintenance restore the required airworthiness standards.

We continue to work with the helicopter operators, the offshore industries, international regulators, unions and pilot representatives to enhance offshore safety standards still further and all these parties are actively involved in ongoing discussions.'