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Norway helicopter crash: '11 killed' near Bergen | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Eleven people have been found dead and two are missing after a helicopter crashed west of the Norwegian city of Bergen with 13 on board, rescuers say. | |
Photos from the scene show thick smoke coming from an area of rocky islets. | |
The helicopter was "totally destroyed", reports said. It was flying from the Gullfaks oil field to Bergen, a centre for the North Sea oil and gas industry. | |
The helicopter, a Eurocopter 225, came down near the small island of Turoey, just west of the village of Solsvik. | |
Police spokesman Morten Kronen said a major rescue operation was under way, which included firefighters, divers and medical workers. | |
Eyewitnesses reported seeing the helicopter's rotor blade come loose and shear off. | |
"There was an explosion and a very peculiar engine sound, so I looked out the window. I saw the helicopter falling quickly into the sea. Then I saw a big explosion," a local resident told local newspaper Bergensavisen. | |
Some wreckage was found on the island, and parts of the hull are in the sea, local media said. | Some wreckage was found on the island, and parts of the hull are in the sea, local media said. |
All passengers on the helicopter were employees of the oil company Statoil, reports say. | All passengers on the helicopter were employees of the oil company Statoil, reports say. |
Service company CHC Helicopter confirmed that there had been "an incident involving one of our aircraft in the Norwegian sector". | Service company CHC Helicopter confirmed that there had been "an incident involving one of our aircraft in the Norwegian sector". |
Statoil has temporarily grounded all helicopters of the same type. | Statoil has temporarily grounded all helicopters of the same type. |