Helicopter carrying 16 crashes into North Sea

LONDON (Reuters) – A helicopter carrying 16 people from an offshore oil rig crashed into the North Sea off the northeast coast of Scotland on Wednesday and a rescue operation is under way, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said.

Oil company BP said the aircraft was carrying 14 passengers and two crew from its Miller platform some 165 miles (270 km) offshore. It went down in the sea around 35 miles (55 km) east of Crimond between Fraserburgh and Peterhead.

The aircraft is operated by Bond Offshore Helicopters, which runs a fleet of Super Puma twin-engined helicopters to supply sea-based oil rigs, the coastguard said.

Reuters