Ferry chopper ditches in Atlantic with 18 on board

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Last updated at 4:01 PM on 12/03/09 

Update: Survivor identified; one dead, search continues for 16 others 
BY ROB ANTLE AND MOIRA BAIRD
The Telegram

Rescuers are continuing a feverish search in the North Atlantic this afternoon for 16 people aboard a helicopter that ditched in the ocean hours earlier.
One person was confirmed dead, officials said.
One survivor was transported by helicopter to hospital in St. John’s.
Officials identified the survivor as Robert Decker. Decker was hoisted aboard a Cougar helicopter that arrived at the site within 45 minutes. No other details were available.
The Sikorsky S-92 helicopter ditched in the Atlantic Ocean 65 kilometres off St. John’s shortly after 9 a.m. It was on its way to the SeaRose FPSO and the Hibernia platform.
The helicopter turned around to head back to St. John’s after the pilot radioed in news of technical problems.
Fourteen of those aboard were passengers bound for the SeaRose FPSO. Two were headed to Hibernia. The other two were Cougar crew members.
A Provincial Airlines flight preparing for an offshore ice reconnaissance patrol was on the scene within minutes, officials said.
The Provincial pilot reported seeing the Sikorsky chopper floating upside down in the water. The helicopter has since sunk.
“One person has been rescued,” said Trevor Pritchard, general manager of operations with Husky Energy, the operator of the White Rose oil field.
“The helicopter is not on the surface of the water any more, and the search effort is going on right now.”
A Canadian Forces Aurora was on the scene within an hour of the ditching. As of early afternoon, there were two Cormorant helicopters in the area, plus two Canadian Forces fixed-wing aircraft — the Aurora and a C-130.
There was a debris field at the site, officials said.
Two life rafts deployed, but were empty.
Maj. Denis McGuire of the joint rescue co-ordination centre in Halifax said passengers wearing survival suits could last up to 24 hours in the current conditions.
“This is a very difficult time for Cougar, our colleagues, our customers and the families,” Rick Burt, general manger of Cougar Helicopters, told reporters in a hastily called news briefing.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with them at this time.”
Burt said Cougar has suspended regular offshore operations while the company assesses what happened.
Family members of the passengers and crew were being briefed at a hotel near St. John’s airport.
Officials could not say when the names of the others aboard would be made public

 

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From CBC:

See an update at 7:30 p.m. NT (6 p.m. ET) on the search for the Cougar crew

 

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Statement by the Minister of National Defence on the ongoing Search and Rescue operation on the East Coast
NR–09.013 - March 12, 2009

OTTAWA - The Honourable Peter Gordon MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway, issued the following statement today on today’s helicopter crash off the coast of Newfoundland:

"I join all Canadians in hoping for the best possible outcome in today’s tragic helicopter crash. The Canadian Forces, the Canadian Coast Guard and their partners in this coordinated response will spare no effort in the continuing search and rescue operation.  I spoke with Premier Danny Williams and assured him that everything possible is being done to search for survivors.

I would also like to offer my deepest sympathies and prayers to the family and loved ones of the individual who, tragically, did not survive today’s crash.”

 

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No signals from locator beacons on suits worn by oil workers: officials
Last Updated: Thursday, March 12, 2009 | 10:21 PM NT CBC News

A Sikorsky S92 helicopter flown by Cougar Helicopters crashed Thursday morning while en route to the White Rose and Hibernia oilfields. (Cougar Helicopters)
Hours after a helicopter carrying offshore oil workers crashed into the Atlantic Ocean southeast of St. John's, N.L., officials have still not received any locator signals from the beacons attached to survivor suits the people aboard were wearing.

A search and rescue operation will continue throughout the night for the 16 people still missing, out of a total 18 who were on board when the Cougar Helicopters chopper went down Thursday, officials said during a news conference.

"At this time, all we’ve got is the debris field. No indications of any survivors, but the search will continue, and obviously, we’ll hope for the best," said Maj. Denis McGuire, a spokesman for the Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Halifax.

One man, Robert Decker, was recovered alive from the area where the Sikorsky S92 chopper, known as Cougar 911, crashed.

Searchers also brought back the body of one person killed in the crash to St. John's. No further details were released. Two empty life-rafts were also found near the crash site.

The helicopter was heading to two offshore oilfields. At about 9:18 a.m. NT, or 7:48 a.m. ET, its crew issued a mayday and an alert about technical problems, saying there was a main gearbox oil-pressure problem and requesting clearance to return to St. John's.

The Transportation Safety Board said the helicopter, which had turned back to St. John's after issuing the mayday, crashed into the water about 37 minutes later. The crash is believed to have occurred about 65 kilometres east-southeast of Newfoundland.

McGuire also said that so far, there were "no signals, whatsoever from any of the [beacons]."

"I cannot speculate on why they wouldn’t have worked or what the issues may have been, but we did not receive any signals," he said.

The low-power beacons are designed to work when people are on the surface of the water, officials said. All passengers and crew must wear a survivor suit before they board a helicopter. Authorities said a healthy adult wearing a survival suit could be expected to live for about 24 hours in the frigid Atlantic waters.

(CBC)

Decker was listed in critical condition in hospital in St. John's. A source told CBC News he had aspirated sea water and was being treated in intensive care for hypothermia and a broken bone.

Earlier Thursday afternoon, officials in St. John's were unable to say how many people survived after the helicopter, which was heading to two offshore oilfields, ditched into the ocean.

"We only have one person at this point," Rick Burt, general manager of Cougar Helicopters, told reporters in St. John's.

"This is a very difficult time for Cougar, our colleagues, our customers and their families," said Burt, who was visibly shaken during two afternoon briefings with journalists.

From left to right, Maj. Denis McGuire of the Search and Rescue Co-ordination Centre, Rick Burt, general manager of Cougar Helicopters and Trevor Pritchard of Husky Energy speak at a press conference regarding the helicopter crash in the North Atlantic. (Paul Daly/Canadian Press)

The crash is the first time a helicopter carrying offshore oil workers has gone down since oil was first pumped on the Grand Banks in 1997. The choppers are essentially shuttles for workers coming on and off shift, and are familiar sights in the skies of St. John's.

Julie Leroux, an official with the Transportation Safety Board, said the helicopter's crew reported mechanical problems, but they did not know the nature of those problems.

In 1982, the then-developing industry was rocked when 84 men died when the Ocean Ranger, a drilling rig that was exploring for oil in the Grand Banks, sank during a winter storm.

Worried relatives gather at family centre
Crew aboard Cougar 911 were largely working at the White Rose offshore oilfield, southeast of St. John's. Two were stationed at the nearby Hibernia platform. Two of the people aboard the helicopter worked directly for Cougar Helicopters.

Calgary-based Husky, the operator of the White Rose project, and Hibernia Management both said they are assisting with the search and rescue effort.

Another chopper, also operated by Cougar Helicopters, arrived at the Health Sciences Centre in St. John's at noon with Decker, who was rushed into the hospital on a stretcher.

Hopes had been high earlier in the day for a larger, immediate rescue. Eastern Health told CBC News that it had cleared its emergency rooms to prepare for what it described as patients who are critically ill and hypothermic.

However, officials later told ambulances that had been waiting near a helipad that they were not needed for the time being.

A family centre has been set up at the Comfort Inn next to the headquarters of Cougar Helicopters at St. John's airport. Worried relatives could be seen walking back and forth between the two buildings, while other people sat in their vehicles in the parking lot, listening to news reports on the radio and talking on cell phones.

Joe Delaney said he's concerned for his nephew, who went out on a flight this morning.

"He was here yesterday, got bumped off his flight, ended up coming back again this morning," he said. "So we're uncertain now as to where it stands."

High winds reported
High winds were reported as aircraft — including a military plane and two Cormorant helicopters — were dispatched to the scene.

The coast guard 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.

Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams described the crash as a "terrible tragedy off of our shores."

"We are a seafaring people who have for centuries lived from the sea, people risking their lives every day to provide for their families and contribute to this province. And yet, we will never, ever be able to accept the loss of precious lives to the sea," Williams said in a statement.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, speaking during question period on Thursday, said he had called Williams earlier in the day.

"I know all of us in this chamber want to share our thoughts and prayers with the families who are anxiously awaiting word on their loved ones."

Flights to Hibernia platform suspended
Meanwhile, crews that arrived at Cougar's base, near the main terminal at the St. John's airport, were told they could not be ferried offshore on Thursday morning.

"All of a sudden, we saw the cameras and police," said Rick Strickland, a steward aboard the Hibernia platform, describing the scene as he learned his transport to the Hibernia platform had been suspended.

Having made regular shuttles to the Hibernia platform since 1997, Strickland said safety is a priority. He has such confidence in the helicopters and their crew that he usually sleeps during the flights, which take between 75 and 90 minutes.

"It doesn't scare me as such, no. [But] it always crosses your mind at some point," he said.

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. On Thursday, however, it was working with a crew stationed at the floating Sea Rose platform, at the White Rose field.

 

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Executive Council
March 12, 2009

The following statement was issued today by the Honourable Danny Williams, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador:

It is with a very heavy heart that we heard today of a terrible tragedy off of our shores.

I want to express my most heartfelt and sincere condolences to the family and friends of the individual who has been confirmed lost. I cannot begin to imagine the sorrow and despair of those who are left to mourn this incredible tragedy. We also assure the families of those who remain missing, that the thoughts and prayers of all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are with them during this most difficult time.

We are a seafaring people who have for centuries lived from the sea; people risking their lives every day to provide for their families and contribute to this province. And yet, we will never, ever be able to accept the loss of precious lives to the sea.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Decker and his family.

We remain optimistic as the search and rescue efforts continue and pray for the recovery of the remaining persons who were involved in this tragic accident.

- 30 -

Media contacts:

Elizabeth Matthews
Director of Communications
Office of the Premier
709-729-3960
elizabethmatthews@gov.nl.ca

Roger Scaplen
Press Secretary
Office of the Premier
709-729-4304, 727-0991
rogerscaplen@gov.nl.ca 

2009 03 12                                                    4:25 p.m.

 

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Harrowing search continues for helicopter crew off Newfoundland
Last Updated: Friday, March 13, 2009 | 9:40 AM NT
CBC News

A Cormorant helicopter and a Maersk supply vessel scan a vast area of the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday in an attempt to locate survivors of a helicopter crash. (Sgt. Steve Rutt, Canadian Forces)

A sombre 24-hour window of survival passed on Friday morning, as search crews nonetheless combed a stretch of the Atlantic Ocean to find any signs of life in the wake of a helicopter crash east of Newfoundland.

One man was pulled alive from the ocean on Thursday, hours after the Cougar Helicopters craft went down with 18 aboard, after its crew reported mechanical problems.

(CBC)

Searchers also recovered the body of a passenger aboard Cougar 911, which was ferrying workers to the White Rose and Hibernia offshore oil platforms when it ran into trouble.

A mayday was issued at 9:18 a.m. NT, or 7:38 a.m. ET, as the helicopter crew reported mechanical problems. Authorities later said the crew indicated it was "ditching," implying that a controlled crash was planned. The chopper, which sank beneath the water, went down about eight minutes later.

Time has been precious in the search, as officials reckoned that the 16 missing persons could last about 24 hours in the mandatory survival suits they wore during the flight.

Military aircraft, coast guard vessels and company ships have been on the scene since Thursday morning.

"We will continue to search until there is absolutely no chance that any survivors can be located.… We will obviously hope for the best. We plan on searching at this time till the last light [Friday]," Maj. Denis McGuire, who ordinarily works with the Halifax-based search and rescue co-ordination centre, told reporters in St. John's on Thursday night.

Two Cormorants and a Hercules aircraft rejoined the search at dawn Friday, relieving an overnight aerial search aided by night-vision goggles.

Indications, though, are that there are no new signs that would lead to further rescues.

"Right now [there are] no additional results. The search has come up with nothing at this point," Rick Burt, general manager of Cougar Helicopters, told CBC News on Friday morning.

The cause of the crash is not known, although information posted to a Transport Canada online database indicated that a mayday at 9:18 a.m. NT, or 7:48 ET, was called because of a "main gear box oil pressure problem."

Officials on Thursday night, however, said there is no definitive word on why the chopper — which was returning to St. John's after it encountered mechanical problems — went down.

"We don't have any of that information right now and we can't confirm what may have happened that would all be speculation," McGuire said.

Officials said they would make every effort to find the 16 missing passengers of Cougar 911, although few signs have been found to indicate reasons for hope.

'That chopper went down hard'
Two empty life-rafts were recovered near debris scattered over at least six nautical miles, or about 11 kilometres.

As well, searchers have found no sign of the emergency beacons that each person was carrying in a survival suit. The beacons immediately set themselves off when a "sea switch" comes into contact with water.

Family members and friends were bracing for the worst.

"Well they're doing the best they can, but it doesn't look very promising right now," said Harold Mullowney, whose brother Derek was aboard the helicopter.

"The search will continue, but it looks like that chopper went down hard and they're probably still in it. We hope they're not."

Mullowney said his brother had had a brush with the Ocean Ranger disaster, which lingers prominently in the memories of most people in Newfoundland and Labrador. Derek Mullowney was off-duty when the oil rig, which was exploring for oil on the Grand Banks, sank during a vicious winter storm in 1982, killing all 84 aboard.

The disaster prompted a royal commission of inquiry, which found weak safety measures and recommended a significant overhaul in training and security procedures.

 

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Flights to N.L. oil platforms halted
Last Updated: Friday, March 13, 2009 | 8:43 AM NT
CBC News

All flights to and from the platforms producing oil off Newfoundland's southeast coast have been temporarily suspended, in the wake of Thursday's helicopter crash.

Supply vessels are on standby, if needed, to transport crew from the fixed Hibernia platform, as well as the floating platforms that work on the nearby Terra Nova and White Rose fields. All are in the same area on the Grand Banks, and are more than 300 kilometres from St. John's.

Crews heading to the platforms on Thursday were sent home after they arrived at the Cougar Helicopters base, at St. John's International Airport.

Trevor Pritchard, manager for Husky Oil's operations on the east coast, said what is called "active work" on the Sea Rose platform at the White Rose field has been halted.

However, he said the platform cannot simply stop pumping oil.

"Production remains up. It's the safest way to handle this kind of situation," Pritchard told a news conference Thursday evening.

"If you stop production and start production, this kind of gas pressures move up and down. It's better to leave the facility as it stands. It's well controlled."

Fourteen of the 18 people aboard the crashed Cougar helicopter were headed to the White Rose field. Two were to have been dropped off first at the Hibernia platform, and the other pair aboard the chopper worked for Cougar.

One man, Robert Decker, was pulled alive from the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday, and the body of a deceased person was recovered.

Searchers continued to scan a stretch of the ocean Friday for any sign of survivors.

 

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MARCH 13, 2009
ST. JOHN’S, NEWFOUNDLAND

On the morning of March 12th, 2009 a Cougar S92 helicopter ditched in the Atlantic ocean approximately 65 kilometers east of St. John’s, Nfld. The flight was en route to the SeaRose FPSO and Hibernia Platform when the crew reported technical problems and elected to return to St. John’s.

There were eighteen people on board the helicopter, including fourteen passengers destined for the SeaRose FPSO, two passengers destined for Hibernia and two Cougar Helicopters crew members.

Cougar Helicopters immediately activated emergency response procedures which included notification of Search and Rescue parties. The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) continues to lead the search and rescue effort. It is expected that the search and rescue operations will continue throughout the day and Cougar continues to support the JRCC through this process.

This tragic event is very difficult for Cougar Helicopters, the families and friends of those affected and all associated parties. All involved in the rescue and recovery efforts are doing their absolute best to provide information and assistance to families as the search and recovery progresses.

Presently, Cougar Helicopters has suspended regular offshore operations until the circumstances surrounding this event have been properly assessed. Cougar Helicopters continues to remain focused on the family and friends of the personnel affected and on the needs of our employees and customers. Cougar is committed to providing all resources possible and our thoughts are with the family and friends of all involved at this very difficult time.

 

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No Success in Search So Far
March 13, 2009

The hours are ticking away, and Search and Rescue efforts have still come up empty in the search for the 16 missing people from the Cougar helicopter crash. Major Denis McGuire with the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax says  they  will continue to focus their search efforts on the surface of the water until they hand it over to the RCMP and Transportation Safety Board who will decide whether to lower a camera or conduct an underwater search. The names of the victims will also be withheld until released by police at a later time.  A search update has been scheduled for 5:00 pm.

The Transportation Safety Board may attempt a recovery of the aircraft in the coming days. Spokesman Mike Cunningham says right now their priority is to assist the Coast Guard, but they may consider recovering the helicopter as part of their investigation. The depth of the water in the area is approximately 120 metres. The Transportation Safety Board is holding a news conference beginning momentarily. Officials are going before the microphones at St. John's airport. VOCM News is there and will have details as soon as they become available.

The one survivor, Robert Decker, is beginning to show signs of some recovery according to Trevor Pritchard of Husky Energy, but he did not have any further information on his condition. Decker was plucked from the water by another Cougar helicopter, where he is listed in critical but stable condition.
Meanwhile, some workers on board the SeaRose FPSO have been removed from the rig. They came ashore via one of the supply vessels. Husky says it was for various reasons, and that some 14 workers were removed. Pritchard, says this is a very difficult time. He says they remain hopeful. Husky Energy has put a number of measures in place to help the families of the victims and their co-workers. Pritchard says they have staff working with employees to assess whatever needs they may have at this difficult time. He says production offshore is continuing, but active work has stopped for the time being.

Offshore workers are trained in safety and rescue procedures. Rick Burt of Cougar Helicopters says the workers, in their survival suits, would have prepared for a 'ditch'. Burt says once the aircraft was in the water, they're trained to evacuate immediately.

At the time the Cougar helicopter went down, there were no Cormorant helicopters at 9 Wing Gander. Major Denis McGuire says three Cormorants and twp C-130's were dispatched from Sydney, Nova Scotia. It took the aircraft approximately one hour to reach the scene. McGuire says the Cormorants normally in Gander were involved in a training exercise near Sydney. Major McGuire says it's hard to predict where a Search and Rescue aircraft will be needed. A Cougar helicopter was the first on the scene, aided by a fixed-wing aircraft from Provincial Airlines.

Don Squires of St. John's works on the Hibernia Platform, but is home nursing an injury he suffered in a recent car accident. Otherwise, he says he'd be back to work. Squires was just one of many employees and co-workers looking for answers yesterday, concerned for the men he calls his "family".

Perry White of Mount Pearl was scheduled to go offshore yesterday, but was delayed for a day because of the flu. His son Matt, says his father is shaken and the entire family is waiting to hear the latest news.

Premier Danny Williams says he cannot begin to imagine the sorrow and despair of those who are left to mourn the tragedy. He says the thoughts and prayers of everyone are with those affected during this most difficult time.

St. John's Mayor Dennis O'Keefe says resilience has brought us to where we are today, and resilience will guide us again in future. He has expressed condolences and support to the families affected by the tragedy.

 

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Search to end for 16 missing in helicopter crash off Newfoundland
Last Updated: Friday, March 13, 2009 | 5:22 PM NT
CBC News

A Cormorant helicopter and a Maersk supply vessel scan a vast area of the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday in an attempt to locate survivors after a helicopter crashed east of Newfoundland. (Sgt. Steve Rutt/Canadian Forces)

Grim-faced officials said late Friday afternoon they will halt a search for 16 people who are still missing in the wake of a helicopter crash east of Newfoundland.

Aircraft and vessels that have been combing a wide stretch of the Atlantic Ocean will complete their work at sundown, or around 7:30 p.m. NT, Maj. Denis McGuire told reporters.

The matter will then be turned over to the Transportation Safety Board and to the RCMP, who will treat it as a missing persons case, he said.

"Unfortunately, there were no sightings whatsoever of any persons in the water," McGuire said earlier Friday.

(CBC)

One man was pulled alive from the ocean on Thursday, hours after the Cougar Helicopters craft went down with 18 aboard, after its crew reported mechanical problems.

Searchers also recovered the body of a passenger aboard Cougar 911, which was ferrying workers to the White Rose and Hibernia offshore oil platforms when it ran into trouble.

A mayday was issued at 9:40 a.m. NT Thursday as the helicopter crew reported mechanical problems, McGuire said. Until Friday morning, search and rescue officials had said the mayday was issued 30 minutes earlier, with authorities mistakenly calculating Atlantic time as Newfoundland time.

Authorities later said the crew indicated it was "ditching," implying that a controlled crash was planned. The chopper, which sank beneath the water, went down about eight minutes later.

Time has been precious in the search, as officials reckoned that the 16 missing people could last about 24 hours in the mandatory survival suits they wore during the flight.

Military aircraft, coast guard vessels and company ships have been on the scene since Thursday morning.

Cougar Helicopters provides shuttle services for crews flying from St. John's to offshore oil platforms. (Courtesy of Cougar Helicopters)

"We will obviously hope for the best. We plan on searching at this time till the last light [Friday]," McGuire, who ordinarily works with the Halifax-based search and rescue co-ordination centre, told reporters in St. John's on Thursday night.

Two Cormorants and a Hercules aircraft rejoined the search at dawn Friday, relieving an overnight aerial search aided by night-vision goggles.

Indications, though, suggest no new signs that would lead to further rescues.

"Right now [there are] no additional results. The search has come up with nothing at this point," Rick Burt, general manager of Cougar Helicopters, told CBC News on Friday morning.

The cause of the crash is not known, although information posted to a Transport Canada online database indicated that the mayday was called because of a "main gear box oil pressure problem."

Officials, however, maintain there is no definitive word on why the chopper — which was returning to St. John's after it encountered mechanical problems — went down.

"We don't have any of that information right now and we can't confirm what may have happened — that would all be speculation," McGuire said Thursday night.

'That chopper went down hard'
Two empty life-rafts were recovered near debris scattered over at least six nautical miles, or about 11 kilometres.

One body was recovered from the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday after a Cougar 911 helicopter crashed not long after reporting mechanical problems. (CBC)

As well, searchers have found no sign of the emergency beacons that each person was carrying in a survival suit. The beacons immediately set themselves off when a "sea switch" comes into contact with water.

Family members and friends were bracing for the worst.

"Well, they're doing the best they can, but it doesn't look very promising right now," said Harold Mullowney, whose brother Derek was aboard the helicopter.

"The search will continue, but it looks like that chopper went down hard and they're probably still in it. We hope they're not."

Mullowney said his brother had had a brush with the Ocean Ranger disaster, which lingers prominently in the memories of most people in Newfoundland and Labrador. Derek Mullowney was off-duty when the oil rig, which was exploring for oil on the Grand Banks, sank during a vicious winter storm in 1982, killing all 84 aboard.

The disaster prompted a royal commission of inquiry, which found weak safety measures and recommended a significant overhaul in training and security procedures

 

[BradCon]

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090313/national/nl_chopper_crash




BAY BULLS, N.L. - As hope faded on Friday for the rescue of 16 people lost in a helicopter crash at sea, Don Drew expressed the deepening grief that swept over several fishing outports that dot the landscape of Newfoundland's Southern Shore.

"This whole area is devastated," the mayor of Bay Bulls said in an interview.

"Everyone feels it."

The search for the 16 missing people after the helicopter crash in the North Atlantic was called off at sundown Friday, with rescue officials acknowledging there appeared to be no more survivors.

One man was rescued shortly after the crash on Thursday morning and one body was recovered. The names of the dead person and the missing people were not released on Friday.

Residents throughout the province mourned the tragic end. But the loss was particularly felt along the Avalon Peninsula's east coast - a postcard stretch of road that makes up the Irish Loop - where many men have left the once-prosperous fishery to work in the province's offshore oil industry.

Drew said as many as seven who were aboard the ill-fated Sikorsky S-92 owned by Cougar Helicopters come from the tiny communities along the Southern Shore.

"It's just taking the life out of the area," he said.

Derrick Mullowney, one of the missing, lived in Bay Bulls, a town of 1,100 people about 35 kilometres south of St. John's.

Mullowney's sister-in-law was in tears as she spoke about the accident.

"We only buried his father about a month ago. His father died on Jan. 30 and now this," Sharon Mullowney said.

She said the 52-year-old Mullowney worked in the offshore for 28 or 29 years.

Maj. Denis McGuire of the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre said the RCMP and Transport Canada were taking over what has been classified as a recovery mission.

"We've gone beyond that 24-hour life expectancy time for someone in an immersion suit," McGuire said in announcing the end of the search in St. John's.

"The likelihood (of finding survivors) is no longer there."

The Sikorsky S-92 was carrying 18 as it ferried workers to offshore oil platforms off Newfoundland when it ditched in the ocean on after reporting mechanical problems.

McGuire said the families of the missing were "distraught" at the decision to end the search but understood there was no chance of more survivors.

"It's been a challenging day but we've come together as a group to support each other," he said.

Mike Cunningham, lead investigator for the Transportation Safety Board, said plans had begun to lift the wrecked helicopter from 120 metres of water in the next week.

"We don't know a lot about what we'll be facing," he said at a news conference in St. John's. "We want to do it safely and we want to do it as quickly as possible."

Cunningham said it's possible that balloons could be placed under the helicopter and then inflated to raise it to the surface.

But before that happens, he said a remote submersible equipped with cameras will be sent to the ocean floor as soon as Saturday to examine the wreck.

Cunningham said they will have to be careful not to damage the chopper during the lift.

"This helicopter is full of water now, so it's quite heavy and it's not designed to be lifted full of water. It's designed to fly through the air."

Crews on a Cormorant helicopter and Hercules aircraft used night-vision goggles to search a vast expanse of ocean overnight on Thursday but found no sign of those missing.

The only survivor, Robert Decker, was in a St. John's hospital. He was listed in critical but stable condition in the hospital's intensive care unit.

"He is starting to show signs of some recovery," said Trevor Pritchard, general manager of Husky Oil, operator of the Sea Rose floating production vessel on the White Rose oilfield.

McGuire said they didn't know how Decker was able to get out of the ditched helicopter.

Premier Danny Williams told reporters he has known Decker for years through his daughter and her friends.

"He's very personable, very light-hearted, very humorous, fun-loving, and a great individual," he said. "He's a typical Newfoundlander and Labradorian."

Williams said Decker was a member of a St. John's yacht club and is familiar with the water. He speculated his experience as a sailor might have helped him when the chopper ditched.

"Certainly, his recollection of exactly what happened out there will be very, very important to a lot of people," the premier said.

Williams said his office has been deluged with calls from across the country and some from around the world from people touched by the disaster.

"They've indicated their sympathies, their expressions of comfort and that their prayers are certainly with us," he said.

The helicopter, piloted by two crew members, was carrying 14 workers to Sea Rose and another two to Hibernia when it experienced technical problems.

Workers who have made the flight to the offshore platforms - located roughly 350 kilometres east of St. John's - say they are fully aware of the risk inherent in their jobs.

Perry White, an offshore worker since 1982, said the possibility of a crash enters his mind every time he climbs into one of the helicopters.

"But then again, when you look at fatalities for helicopters and you look at fatalities for cars, you're more likely to be hit by a bread truck crossing the road," said Perry, who was supposed to fly out to a rig later Thursday but was home sick with the flu.

"My way of looking at it is, if you let that stuff play on your mind, then you're not going to be out there at all."

 

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Grief, shock envelop N.L. in wake of helicopter crash
Flags at half-mast across province to mourn 17 dead
Last Updated: Saturday, March 14, 2009 | 10:47 AM NT
CBC News

Blue skies and calm seas in eastern Newfoundland on Saturday belied the terrifying reality that has sunk in, as residents come to grips with the fact that 17 people died when a helicopter crashed and sank.

A Cougar Helicopters aircraft crashed east-southeast of St. John's on Thursday morning. (CBC)

The search for a Cougar Helicopters shuttle was called off as the sun set Friday evening, about 34 hours after the chopper, carrying 18 people, crashed in the Atlantic Ocean. Apart from the two helicopter crew members, those on board were heading to two offshore oil platforms southeast of St. John's.

One person, Robert Decker, was pulled alive from the ocean and remains in intensive care in a St. John's hospital.

The body of Allison Maher, 26, a Mount Pearl resident, was pulled from the ocean on Thursday morning. A funeral is planned for Monday in Fermeuse, a small community south of St. John's.

Flags at Newfoundland and Labrador government buildings and at other locations are flying at half-mast as a frantic search turns now to a recovery effort.

The crash has had a profound effect in the province, particularly among people who work in the oil industry and in the tight-knit communities where the deceased had lived.

"It upsets me a lot. I have a lot of friends, people that I know that [are] involved into this accident," said Gary Tibbo, who recently returned home from working in the oil industry in the Middle East.

"And it hurts."

The Transportation Safety Board is scheduled to release more details Saturday of how a 20-member team, including experts drawn from the U.S. who specialize in helicopters, will attempt to raise the chopper, a Sikorsky S-92, that authorities believe is beneath about 120 metres of water.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

Husky Expresses Sympathy to the Families of the Crew & Contractors


March 13, 2009

St. John's, NL - Mr. John C.S. Lau, President & Chief Executive Officer, and all Husky employees wish to express their deepest sympathy to those who lost relatives and friends in the March 12 helicopter incident, offshore Newfoundland, Canada.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of those who have been lost in this tragic event,” Mr. Lau said. “Together with the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, we mourn this loss.”

Husky personnel and counselors have been in St. John's, Newfoundland, providing support to the families. The Company will continue to cooperate with the multi-agency and the Transportation Safety Board's recovery effort that is now underway.

Husky appreciates and acknowledges the efforts of the people and agencies involved in the search and rescue response.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

Message from Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, following the helicopter accident near Newfoundland
March 13, 2009

It was with great sadness that my husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond, and I learned of the terrible helicopter accident that occurred yesterday east of St. John’s, Newfoundland. The 18 people on board, including two members of the Cougar Helicopters flight crew, 14 workers from the Sea Rose floating production vessel and two from the Hibernia platform, were en route to oil platforms.

My thoughts go out first to the concerned families and loved ones of the person who died and of those who are still missing. I would also like to extend my deepest sympathies to the colleagues who are mourning this tragedy. Our thoughts are also with the injured survivor, to whom we wish a speedy recovery.

I would like to thank the officers of the Coast Guard for their tireless and monumental efforts deployed during the rescue operation.

Michaëlle Jean

‑ 30 ‑

Media information
Isabelle Serrurier 
Rideau Hall Press Office 
613-998-7280 
www.gg.ca     
www.citizenvoices.gg.ca 

 

[Mike Baker]

Damn. This is hard news for a province that is so close to one another. My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of those lost to such a tragic event. This is something that will be in our minds forever. Hopefully soon we will find out the cause of this accident, and be able to fix any problems. But, going out to the rigs will always be a treacherous trip.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

Sonar sweep may have located helicopter fuselage: TSB
Last Updated: Saturday, March 14, 2009 | 2:03 PM NT
CBC News

A scan of the sea floor southeast of St. John's has located what is believed to be the wreckage of a helicopter that killed 17 people, officials said Saturday.

A sonar sweep detected an "anomaly," Transportation Safety Board of Canada lead investigator Mike Cunningham told reporters at a briefing.

The sweep was done from the Atlantic Osprey, a supply vessel that works in the offshore oil industry.

Cunningham said the sweep showed the ground floor was largely flat and featureless. Cunningham said investigators believe the scan points to where a Cougar Helicopters aircraft came to rest after crashing into the Atlantic Ocean.

Only one person survived the crash. The body of a woman was pulled from the ocean on Thursday and searchers have been unable to locate the remaining 16 who were on board. At sunset on Friday evening, a search for survivors turned into a recovery effort, with the TSB launching an investigation into what went wrong.

Underwater remote-operated vehicles were in the water Saturday afternoon to glean more information about the helicopter, which may still contain the bodies of the missing.

"Our next goal is to positively identify what that sonar anomaly is, and we're all hoping for good news in that regard," said Cunningham.

The TSB has assembled a team of 20 people, including five experts from the U.S. who specialize in helicopters, to work on the investigation.

Cunningham said Canadian military officials have volunteered their assistance.

He said the Osprey was also carrying RCMP investigators as well as officials from Cougar Helicopters and Sikorsky, the chopper's manufacturer.

"If everything goes well, if Mother Nature co-operates with us, if nothing goes against us, we're hoping that we may lift that aircraft out of the water on Monday or Tuesday," Cunningham said.

He added that once the fuselage is recovered, the team will "very respectfully" remove the bodies from the fuselage.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

Crashed helicopter found on sea floor, recovery planned
Last Updated: Saturday, March 14, 2009 | 3:31 PM NT
CBC News

Mike Cunningham said a TSB team hopes to raise the sunken Cougar Helicopters aircraft early next week. (CBC)

The Transportation Safety Board has confirmed the location of an oil industry helicopter that crashed into the ocean southeast of Newfoundland on Thursday, killing 17 people.

"It looks like the fuselage is relatively intact," lead investigator Mike Cunningham told CBC News on Saturday afternoon, after an underwater remote-operated vehicle confirmed the location of a Cougar Helicopters aircraft that went down in the frigid Atlantic waters.

"It is laying on the bottom, on its side. The tail boom of the helicopter is broken off, but it is laying right beside the rest of the fuselage."

No bodies were, as yet, located, said Cunningham, adding that families had been notified.

Earlier, Cunningham told a media briefing that a sonar scan had found "a fairly large anomaly," which investigators believed was the Cougar Helicopters aircraft that crashed.

Cunningham said the initial sweep showed the ground floor was largely flat and featureless.

Only one person survived the crash. The body of a woman was pulled from the ocean on Thursday and searchers have been unable to locate the remaining 16 who were on board. At sunset on Friday evening, a search for survivors turned into a recovery effort, with the TSB launching an investigation into what went wrong.

Underwater remote-operated vehicles were in the water Saturday afternoon to glean more information about the helicopter, which may still contain the bodies of the missing.

The TSB has assembled a team of 20 people, including five experts from the U.S. who specialize in helicopters, to work on the investigation.

Cunningham said Canadian military officials have volunteered their assistance.

He said the Osprey was also carrying RCMP investigators as well as officials from Cougar Helicopters and Sikorsky, the chopper's manufacturer.

"If everything goes well, if Mother Nature co-operates with us, if nothing goes against us, we're hoping that we may lift that aircraft out of the water on Monday or Tuesday," Cunningham said.

He added that once the fuselage is recovered, the team will "very respectfully" remove the bodies from the fuselage.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

Cougar crash survivor Robert Decker’s family releases statement 
The Telegram


The following statement is being distributed on behalf of the family of Robert Decker:
First and foremost, to the families of Robert’s co-workers and friends, you are in our every thought. Since our world changed on Thursday morning, there hasn’t been an hour pass or a prayer said that hasn’t included you. We feel your loss, we share many of your questions but, at this point, we have no more answers than you.
Secondly, to the staff of the Health Sciences Complex, we offer gratitude beyond expression. Robert continues to receive unbelievable care from a very compassionate and skilled team. We specifically acknowledge his ICU nurses and doctors who have not left his side and treat him with respect, commitment and a kindness which continues to move us.
We also have to acknowledge Robert’s co-workers within the offshore industry, including the Search and Rescue team. Your concern and support is helping us all get through this.
We wish to make a brief statement on Robert’s health. Upon admission to the Health Sciences Complex, Robert was in critical condition and he was immediately placed on a ventilator and life support, where he remains. He was revived for a period of time on Friday and showed awareness of his surroundings and the family members who were with him. However, the ventilator prevented him from speaking. He continues to be heavily sedated and in stable, but critical condition. We continue to pray for his full recovery and have complete trust in his medical team.
Finally, we would like to acknowledge the many prayers offered and the supportive words said about Robert over the last few days by his many friends and co-workers. At this time, however, we ask that you also remember in your thoughts and prayers the other families who are dealing with such a profound loss.
The Family of Robert Decker

 

[Nfld Sapper]

Crashed helicopter found on sea floor, recovery planned
RCMP identify 10 of 17 killed in crash off Newfoundland's east coast
Last Updated: Saturday, March 14, 2009 | 5:08 PM NT
CBC News

Mike Cunningham said a TSB team hopes to raise the sunken Cougar Helicopters aircraft early next week. (CBC)

The Transportation Safety Board has confirmed the location of an oil industry helicopter that crashed into the ocean southeast of Newfoundland on Thursday, killing 17 of 18 people on board, while authorities identified many of the dead.

"It looks like the fuselage is relatively intact," lead investigator Mike Cunningham told CBC News on Saturday afternoon, after an underwater remote-operated vehicle confirmed the location of a Cougar Helicopters aircraft that went down in the frigid Atlantic waters.

"It is laying on the bottom, on its side. The tail boom of the helicopter is broken off, but it is laying right beside the rest of the fuselage."

The bodies were not, as yet, located, said Cunningham, but families had been notified. The search for the missing turned to a rescue effort as the sun set Friday evening, about 34 hours after the shuttle, carrying oil industry workers, went into the water about 55 kilometres southeast of St. John's.

RCMP, meanwhile, gave the names of 10 of the deceased in Thursday's crash. The other families were "not prepared at this point of time to release the names of their loved ones, and we respect that," said Supt. Reg Reeves told reporters.

Reeves identified the following, all but one from Newfoundland and Labrador, as having died in the helicopter crash.

Peter Breen, 55, St. John's,
Gary Corbett, 46, Conception Bay South,
Wade Drake, 42, Fortune,
Wade Duggan, 32, Witless Bay,
Colin Henley, 38, St. John's,
Ken Macrae, 476, Greenwood, N.S.,
Derrick Mullowney, 51, Bay Bulls,
Burch Nash, 44, Fortune,
Paul Pike, 49, Spaniard's Bay,
Allison Maher, 26, Mount Pearl, formerly of Aquaforte.

Maher's body was pulled from the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday, shortly after a frantic search began for survivors. Her funeral will be held Monday.

Only one person, Robert Decker, who works at the White Rose oilfield, survived the crash. He remains in critical but stable condition in hospital in St. John's and is being treated for multiple injuries.

Reeves said most family members are not willing to interviews at this time. "They would like to have some privacy and respect," Reeves told reporters.

'Fairly large anomaly' led to chopper find

Earlier in the day, Cunningham told a media briefing that a TSB sonar scan had found "a fairly large anomaly," which investigators believed was the Cougar Helicopters aircraft that crashed. At that time, authorities were hoping for a positive identification of the aircraft.

Cunningham said the initial sweep showed the ground floor was largely flat and featureless.

Underwater remote-operated vehicles were in the water Saturday afternoon to glean more information about the helicopter, which may still contain the bodies of the missing.

The TSB has assembled a team of 20 people, including five experts from the U.S. who specialize in helicopters, to work on the investigation.

Cunningham said Canadian military officials have volunteered their assistance.

He said the Atlantic Osprey supply ship was also carrying RCMP investigators as well as officials from Cougar Helicopters and Sikorsky, the chopper's manufacturer.

"If everything goes well, if Mother Nature co-operates with us, if nothing goes against us, we're hoping that we may lift that aircraft out of the water on Monday or Tuesday," Cunningham said.

He added that once the fuselage is recovered, the team will "very respectfully" remove the bodies from the fuselage.

 

[Occam]

It turns out there is a military connection to those who lost their lives...

Article link

Newfld. helicopter crash claims B.C. victims

Updated: Sat Mar. 14 2009 19:21:49

ctvbc.ca

Flowers in a make-shift memorial rustled in the wind outside Cougar Helicopters' base in St. John's, Saturday. Inside staff were reeling over the loss of 17 people onboard a Sikorsky helicopter that crashed into the north Atlantic on Thursday.

"Flowers on the fence, that's very touching when you see passengers that we carry go and do that," said Hank Williams of Cougar Helicopters.

The chopper - owned by a subsidiary of Vancouver Island Helicopters - was en route to two oil platforms when the pilot reported engine problems. He turned around to return to land - but was forced to ditch into the sea.

Across town from the heliport, officials released more names of those killed in the tragedy - including two from B.C.

One of those was 48-year-old Comox native, Tim Lanouette. He was the flight's first officer. A veteran of the Canadian forces, Lanouette previously flew Sea King helicopters with 443 Maritime helicopter squadron based out of Victoria. According to a posting online - Lanouette had four children and had recently moved from the island to Manitoba.

The other crew member has been identified as 46-year old Thomas Anyll of Langley. Neither of their bodies have been recovered. So far, only one body has been found other than the lone survivor.

"We're hoping that we may lift that aircraft out of the water on Monday or Tuesday, at which point very respectfully we'll be removing the bodies from the fuselage," said Doug McEwan of the Transportation Safety Board.

The Transportation Safety Board also announced on Saturday that they've located the wreckage of the helicopter on the ocean floor. This navy supply ship is being brought in to raise the fuselage and hopefully shed some light on what went so horribly wrong.