Sikorsky S-92 C-GZCH, carrying 18, ditches in Atlantic Ocean

[Rockville]

Crews were searching Thursday for 18 people who had been aboard a helicopter that crashed in the Atlantic Ocean, east of Newfoundland.
Lt. David Bowen, a Halifax-based official with military search and rescue, told CBC News that two persons and a life-raft were spotted in the water, about 87 kilometres east-southeast of Newfoundland.
"We don't have any further information on the raft itself," Bowen told CBC News.
He said a mayday call was issued at 9:18 a.m. NT, or 7:48 a.m. ET.
High winds were reported as aircraft — including a Hercules plane sent from Nova Scotia and four Cormorant helicopters — were dispatched to the scene.
The coast guard has also sent one of its ships, and companies active in the offshore oil industry have joined the effort. A supply ship was also en route to the scene.
Further details are expected Thursday.
Cougar Helicopters, which operates the choppers that fly to and from the three oilfields in production off Newfoundland, said it is preparing a statement.
Cougar 911 usually flies crews to and from the Hibernia platform, about 315 kilometres southeast of St. John's, and St. John's International Airport.
It is not known, however, with what oilfield the crew aboard the helicopter had been affiliated.

CBC News Thursday, March 12, 2009 | 11:59 AM NT

[Peter3076]

Seventeen people were missing after a helicopter crashed into the Atlantic Ocean Thursday while taking workers to an oil platform off Canada's coast, dpa reported referring to the authorities.

The helicopter departed from Saint John's, the capital of Newfoundland and Labrador on its way to the Hibernia oil platform when in crashed in the cold waters, said Jeri Grychowski, spokeswoman for the Joint Rescue and Coordination Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

There were 18 people on board and one person has been recovered near the wreckage site located about 87 kilometres southeast of Saint John's, she said.

Two planes, two helicopters and a surface ship were involved in ongoing rescue operations, Grychowski said.
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I hope they will find at least the bodies of the people. Then the love-ones can take care and know what is happend. I think on those 17 people and specially to there families.

[Rockville]

Coastguard helicopters grounded
All coastguard rescue helicopters in Scotland have been grounded because of safety fears.

Replacement parts will be fitted to Sikorsky S-92 aircraft following a crash off Newfoundland last week.

Seventeen people died and one person survived when the aircraft came down in the Atlantic on 12 March.

The UK coastguard agency operates four S-92s based on Shetland and Lewis. The RAF and Royal Navy will continue to provide emergency cover.

A preliminary investigation into the crash in Canada suggested a gearbox mounting stud had failed.

A Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) spokesman said replacement parts should arrive on the islands "within a day or so" but the helicopters could be out of action for several days while they are fitted.

He said: "We have a responsibility to our crews. We have to ensure that the helicopters are safe.

"The MCA are now working closely with the Ministry of Defence to provide cover for the islands from Lossiemouth and Prestwick."

The MCA said the decision to ground the aircraft and fit replacement parts was taken by Sikorsky, pending further advice from the aviation authorities.

Mark Clark, from the MCA, said the agency had been advised late on Friday by its helicopter contractor CHC that the four S-92 helicopters had been grounded.

He said CHC had been instructed by the manufacturer Sikorsky to ground all S-92s "pending an urgent modification to the S-92 fleet".

"This affects all S-92s operated globally and is not unique to the coastguard or CHC," Mr Clark said.

He added: "Once it has become more clear as to how long the coastguard helicopters will remain grounded and any remedial engineering work that needs to be carried out, we will take a decision on implementing a contingency plan for longer term air coverage."

'Cautious approach'

No coastguard helicopters operating in England, Wales or Northern Ireland are affected.

Alistair Carmichael, Liberal Democrat MP for Shetland and Orkney, said the situation must be resolved as quickly as possible.

"This cautious approach is the right way to handle these safety fears," he said. "It must, however, be resolved as soon as possible.

"It would be wrong to put the lives of the crew at risk, but the absence of the S-92s from operation cannot be allowed for more than a short time."

Angus MacNeil, SNP MP for the Western Isles, said: "Workers involved in fisheries, shipping and the offshore oil industry must be reassured that the RAF can fully cover any incidents normally handled by the Stornoway or Shetland Coastguard.

"Stornoway and Shetland must not be left without airworthy helicopters for any longer than necessary. Replacements must be made available as soon as possible."

A Sikorsky fact sheet on the S-92 says there are 86 of the helicopters in service in 19 countries, two-thirds of which are used for offshore oil platform transport.

The rest are used for search and rescue and airline missions and VIP transport, including transport of heads of state.

Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2009/03/21 15:23:49 GMT

[Jack]

Sikorsky has requested worldwide operators of its S-92 helicopter to ground their fleets

On 21 March 2009, Sikorsky has requested worldwide operators of its S-92 helicopter to ground their fleets over gearbox safety concerns. It follows the loss of a Cougar Helicopters S-92 on 12 March in which 17 people were killed when the aircraft crashed into the North Atlantic off Newfoundland. Reports from Canada say that investigators looking into the accident found a damaged part in the gearbox of the crashed aircraft that could have contributed to the accident. The component, a main gearbox filter bowl assembly mounting stud, was recently the subject of a alert service bulletin that called for the titanium studs to be replaced with steel mounting studs within 1250 hours of flight time or within a year of the alert, whichever came first.

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Coastguard helicopters grounded

Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2009/03/21 15:23:49 GMT