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| North Sea oil workers drop protest as hunt for Super Puma 'black box' goes on | North Sea oil workers drop protest as hunt for Super Puma 'black box' goes on |
| (25 days later) | |
| Investigators continued to hunt on Tuesday for the black box flight recorder from Friday's fatal helicopter crash as oil workers dropped plans for a public protest in Aberdeen over the safety of flights to rigs. | Investigators continued to hunt on Tuesday for the black box flight recorder from Friday's fatal helicopter crash as oil workers dropped plans for a public protest in Aberdeen over the safety of flights to rigs. |
| Teams led by the air accident investigation branch (AAIB) have detected the flight data recorder's alert beacon but have yet to find it or the Super Puma's tail section which holds it, hampering their investigation into the crash that claimed four lives. | Teams led by the air accident investigation branch (AAIB) have detected the flight data recorder's alert beacon but have yet to find it or the Super Puma's tail section which holds it, hampering their investigation into the crash that claimed four lives. |
| Both are thought to be lying in about 30 fathoms (55 metres) of water off Shetland's rocky southern coast, and the AAIB has called in remotely operated vehicles and a hydrophone (underwater microphone) to back up their sonar scans. | Both are thought to be lying in about 30 fathoms (55 metres) of water off Shetland's rocky southern coast, and the AAIB has called in remotely operated vehicles and a hydrophone (underwater microphone) to back up their sonar scans. |
| Meanwhile the RMT union, which represents 5,500 offshore workers – about 10% of the total workforce – decided to cancel a protest at Aberdeen airport, the main hub for North Sea helicopters, after claiming it had won the right to speak to oil workers on rigs and heliports. | Meanwhile the RMT union, which represents 5,500 offshore workers – about 10% of the total workforce – decided to cancel a protest at Aberdeen airport, the main hub for North Sea helicopters, after claiming it had won the right to speak to oil workers on rigs and heliports. |
| Bob Crow, the RMT's general secretary, said this was a major concession by Oil & Gas UK. The union said it would instead stage a small rally at its headquarters in Aberdeen on Wednesday morning. "This means we can speak to our workers and find out what their concerns are and relay them back. It gives them a voice," Crow said. | Bob Crow, the RMT's general secretary, said this was a major concession by Oil & Gas UK. The union said it would instead stage a small rally at its headquarters in Aberdeen on Wednesday morning. "This means we can speak to our workers and find out what their concerns are and relay them back. It gives them a voice," Crow said. |
| The discord over safety grew on Tuesdayafter it emerged that workers on the same rig affected by Friday's crash were told by a helicopter pilot they had to put "their big boy pants on" after they openly warned they were too afraid to fly in another type of Super Puma. | The discord over safety grew on Tuesdayafter it emerged that workers on the same rig affected by Friday's crash were told by a helicopter pilot they had to put "their big boy pants on" after they openly warned they were too afraid to fly in another type of Super Puma. |
| The Press and Journal newspaper published recordings of a briefing to staff on the Borgsten Dolphin on 8 August about the reintroduction this month of the Super Puma EC225 by owner CHC Helicopter, which also operated the aircraft in Friday's crash, after the model had been grounded following gearbox failures that caused several ditchings. | The Press and Journal newspaper published recordings of a briefing to staff on the Borgsten Dolphin on 8 August about the reintroduction this month of the Super Puma EC225 by owner CHC Helicopter, which also operated the aircraft in Friday's crash, after the model had been grounded following gearbox failures that caused several ditchings. |
| When one oil worker said many men offshore were too worried about the EC225s to board them, a CHC pilot retorted: "I have to say, how else are we going to get there? It is what we do. | When one oil worker said many men offshore were too worried about the EC225s to board them, a CHC pilot retorted: "I have to say, how else are we going to get there? It is what we do. |
| "At some point we have to put our big boy pants on and say either 'we believe', either what I am telling you is the truth and I'm willing to sit in the front and risk my family and everything that I have got. If you don't, well, I wouldn't force any of my pilots to fly if they didn't want to." | "At some point we have to put our big boy pants on and say either 'we believe', either what I am telling you is the truth and I'm willing to sit in the front and risk my family and everything that I have got. If you don't, well, I wouldn't force any of my pilots to fly if they didn't want to." |
| CHC said the unguarded "big boy pants" remark came from one of its senior pilots speaking "from the heart" to fellow oil workers to prove his confidence in the aircraft, and was not a corporate presentation. | CHC said the unguarded "big boy pants" remark came from one of its senior pilots speaking "from the heart" to fellow oil workers to prove his confidence in the aircraft, and was not a corporate presentation. |
| "This was his genuine, personal endorsement of the aircraft. He was demonstrating his confidence in the EC225. He acknowledged the risks facing them all in getting to, working on and getting home from rigs," the firm said. | "This was his genuine, personal endorsement of the aircraft. He was demonstrating his confidence in the EC225. He acknowledged the risks facing them all in getting to, working on and getting home from rigs," the firm said. |
| As the body of the fourth victim arrived in Aberdeen, Crow said social networking sites showed growing demand for the Super Puma to be taken out of service: an online petition on Facebook has now had more than 36,000 "likes". Crow said: "No one should underestimate the level of grief and anger felt amongst the offshore workforce in light of Friday night's latest disaster." | As the body of the fourth victim arrived in Aberdeen, Crow said social networking sites showed growing demand for the Super Puma to be taken out of service: an online petition on Facebook has now had more than 36,000 "likes". Crow said: "No one should underestimate the level of grief and anger felt amongst the offshore workforce in light of Friday night's latest disaster." |
| His decision to organise the protest had irritated other senior offshore union leaders, who urged caution until the precise cause of the crash of the Super Puma AS332 L2 could be established by AAIB. But union officials said offshore workers were now extremely unnerved and rebellious after Friday's incident. | His decision to organise the protest had irritated other senior offshore union leaders, who urged caution until the precise cause of the crash of the Super Puma AS332 L2 could be established by AAIB. But union officials said offshore workers were now extremely unnerved and rebellious after Friday's incident. |
| This is the fifth incident involving two different types of Super Puma in the North Sea in four years, after 16 men were killed when another Super Puma AS332 L2 operated by Bond helicopters crashed off Peterhead in 2009. Some oil workers are threatening to boycott the entire fleet. | This is the fifth incident involving two different types of Super Puma in the North Sea in four years, after 16 men were killed when another Super Puma AS332 L2 operated by Bond helicopters crashed off Peterhead in 2009. Some oil workers are threatening to boycott the entire fleet. |
| "That anger can be seen across the social media sites," Crow said. "Twenty-five years after Piper Alpha, the industry is today confronted by another series of basic demands and assurances on worker safety." | "That anger can be seen across the social media sites," Crow said. "Twenty-five years after Piper Alpha, the industry is today confronted by another series of basic demands and assurances on worker safety." |
| The industry had to allow unions such as the RMT to organise offshore, he said. Raising the prospect of strike action, Crow said: "The time has come for the offshore industry to start treating their workforce with respect and dignity, and that means no more hollow words on safety and a lifting of the ban on union access to the workforce." | The industry had to allow unions such as the RMT to organise offshore, he said. Raising the prospect of strike action, Crow said: "The time has come for the offshore industry to start treating their workforce with respect and dignity, and that means no more hollow words on safety and a lifting of the ban on union access to the workforce." |
| The British Airlines Pilots Association (Balpa) said its members still had confidence in the Super Puma fleet, which it said was successfully and safely operating around the world including the Norwegian North Sea sector. | The British Airlines Pilots Association (Balpa) said its members still had confidence in the Super Puma fleet, which it said was successfully and safely operating around the world including the Norwegian North Sea sector. |
| "We should not rush to judge an aircraft which has three very different variants and has successfully transported millions of passengers worldwide in safety over 30 years of operation," Balpa said. | "We should not rush to judge an aircraft which has three very different variants and has successfully transported millions of passengers worldwide in safety over 30 years of operation," Balpa said. |
| But it added that a full review was needed into its operations in the British North Sea was needed after the AAIB investigation was completed. | But it added that a full review was needed into its operations in the British North Sea was needed after the AAIB investigation was completed. |
| "Balpa believes there is a need to take a step back and, as well as reviewing each of the five individual accident investigations, to consider as a whole what can be done to improve the safety of both the offshore workforce (our passengers) and Balpa members who share the same risks, but on a daily basis." | "Balpa believes there is a need to take a step back and, as well as reviewing each of the five individual accident investigations, to consider as a whole what can be done to improve the safety of both the offshore workforce (our passengers) and Balpa members who share the same risks, but on a daily basis." |
| After CHC and the other two North Sea helicopter operators Bond and Bristow grounded all their Super Pumas immediately following the crash, removing half of all the helicopters used offshore, oil companies have started hiring boats to transport workers to and from North Sea rigs. | After CHC and the other two North Sea helicopter operators Bond and Bristow grounded all their Super Pumas immediately following the crash, removing half of all the helicopters used offshore, oil companies have started hiring boats to transport workers to and from North Sea rigs. |
| Total said it had chartered four ships and was now planning how to ferry workers off three oil platforms and other offshore drilling facilities. CHC was now relying heavily on Sikorsky helicopters while other firms are expected to share aircraft, with BP due to hire extra Sikorskys. | Total said it had chartered four ships and was now planning how to ferry workers off three oil platforms and other offshore drilling facilities. CHC was now relying heavily on Sikorsky helicopters while other firms are expected to share aircraft, with BP due to hire extra Sikorskys. |
| Evidence has emerged suggesting the Super Puma did not suddenly plunge into the sea on Friday: the aircraft lost contact with Sumburgh air traffic control 2 miles west of the airport. It was later found in the sea, nearly intact and with 14 survivors close to rocks at Fitful Head a mile from Sumburgh, which suggests it was briefly able to continue flying. | Evidence has emerged suggesting the Super Puma did not suddenly plunge into the sea on Friday: the aircraft lost contact with Sumburgh air traffic control 2 miles west of the airport. It was later found in the sea, nearly intact and with 14 survivors close to rocks at Fitful Head a mile from Sumburgh, which suggests it was briefly able to continue flying. |
| The helicopter's main fuselage was then towed about a mile down the coast by the RNLI, to ensure it was not dashed on to the rocks by tides and currents. A source close to that search and rescue operation said searching for the flight recorder in 17m of water was like "looking for a needle in a haystack". | The helicopter's main fuselage was then towed about a mile down the coast by the RNLI, to ensure it was not dashed on to the rocks by tides and currents. A source close to that search and rescue operation said searching for the flight recorder in 17m of water was like "looking for a needle in a haystack". |
| A fatal accident inquiry, a cross between an inquest and a judicial investigation, is due to take place into the 2009 Super Puma crash in Aberdeen next year. | A fatal accident inquiry, a cross between an inquest and a judicial investigation, is due to take place into the 2009 Super Puma crash in Aberdeen next year. |
| Since that incident, there have been three ditchings involving Super Puma EC225s, which all led to flights being temporarily suspended. AAIB investigations found two ditchings were due to gearbox failures. CHC returned its EC225s to service earlier this month. | Since that incident, there have been three ditchings involving Super Puma EC225s, which all led to flights being temporarily suspended. AAIB investigations found two ditchings were due to gearbox failures. CHC returned its EC225s to service earlier this month. |
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