Oil & Gas UK welcomes the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) report published on November 24 on the tragic crash of helicopter Flight 85N  which took place off the Aberdeenshire coast on 1 April 2009.

Robert Paterson, Oil & Gas UK’s health and safety director, said: “With today’s publication of the report, we remember, first and foremost, all those who lost their lives in this tragic accident and give our sincerest respects to their families, friends and work colleagues.

“Following the two major helicopter incidents in 2009 the industry, together with the relevant regulators and trade unions, established the Helicopter Task Group to drive immediate improvements in helicopter safety. Its agenda is now being taken forward by the Step Change in Safety Helicopter Safety Steering Group.

“While the AAIB report confirms that neither the actions of the crew nor the weather were factors in the accident and that the helicopter maintenance regime satisfactorily complied with existing regulations, it does make 17 recommendations.  A number of these were highlighted in the AAIB’s interim reports and have already been addressed and applied by the helicopter operators in the two years since the accident. The new recommendations focus on additional monitoring of technical components and the Helicopter Safety Steering Group will conduct its own detailed review of these recommendations and will focus on monitoring their implementation.”