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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| North Sea 'copter survivor speaks | North Sea 'copter survivor speaks |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| A man who was onboard a helicopter which ditched in the North Sea a week ago says he is lucky to be alive. | A man who was onboard a helicopter which ditched in the North Sea a week ago says he is lucky to be alive. |
| Robert Phillips, 47, from Aberystwyth, was one of 18 people on the Super Puma which landed in the sea 125 miles (201km) off Aberdeen. | Robert Phillips, 47, from Aberystwyth, was one of 18 people on the Super Puma which landed in the sea 125 miles (201km) off Aberdeen. |
| Mr Phillips, who has been working on oil rigs for 30 years, described hearing a loud bang and then realised the helicopter was in the water. | Mr Phillips, who has been working on oil rigs for 30 years, described hearing a loud bang and then realised the helicopter was in the water. |
| The Air Accidents Investigation Branch has launched an inquiry. | The Air Accidents Investigation Branch has launched an inquiry. |
| The married father-of-two was returning to work as a rig training and safety co-ordinator when the incident happened. | The married father-of-two was returning to work as a rig training and safety co-ordinator when the incident happened. |
| Speaking from his home in Aberystwyth, he said people on board the helicopter remained calm in the moments after the accident, and then "survival mode kicked in". | Speaking from his home in Aberystwyth, he said people on board the helicopter remained calm in the moments after the accident, and then "survival mode kicked in". |
| Mr Phillips said: "I remember hearing the 10-minute warning we normally receive just before landing. There was some low cloud and fog in the area. | Mr Phillips said: "I remember hearing the 10-minute warning we normally receive just before landing. There was some low cloud and fog in the area. |
| "Then there was this sudden bang. I looked around and there was water on the window.The helicopter overturned after the ditching | |
| "There was no sound leading up to the bang and there was no sensation of falling out of sky - just a bang. | "There was no sound leading up to the bang and there was no sensation of falling out of sky - just a bang. |
| "There was no panic or shouting on board and everybody was very calm. Then survival mode kicked in, and we were helping each other out of the helicopter. I didn't go into the sea and got straight into a life raft. | "There was no panic or shouting on board and everybody was very calm. Then survival mode kicked in, and we were helping each other out of the helicopter. I didn't go into the sea and got straight into a life raft. |
| "The first thing is to get out of the helicopter because you just don't know what will happen." | "The first thing is to get out of the helicopter because you just don't know what will happen." |
| Mr Phillips said he felt a great sense of relief that no-one had been seriously injured or had died. | Mr Phillips said he felt a great sense of relief that no-one had been seriously injured or had died. |
| "I'm lucky to be alive. You don't hear of too many people surviving incidents like that," he added. | "I'm lucky to be alive. You don't hear of too many people surviving incidents like that," he added. |
| He and some of his fellow passengers and helicopter crew were eventually picked up by a rescue boat and taken back to Aberdeen. | He and some of his fellow passengers and helicopter crew were eventually picked up by a rescue boat and taken back to Aberdeen. |
| "Onboard the boat I called my wife Cerys, and I spoke to my mother, brother and sister," Mr Phillips said. | "Onboard the boat I called my wife Cerys, and I spoke to my mother, brother and sister," Mr Phillips said. |
| "I'd like to thank all the rescuers who helped us that night." | "I'd like to thank all the rescuers who helped us that night." |