Coronavirus: BP helicopter flights to by-pass Shetland

Clair Ridge is one of several BP assets west of Shetland

BP has announced that helicopter flights to offshore platforms west of Shetland will not land in the islands due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The firm said from Tuesday onwards, it would transport staff directly from Aberdeen in order to reduce the risk of spreading the infection.

Shetland has 11 confirmed cases of coronavirus, a relatively high figure given the size of the population.

The new arrangements will affect about a dozen flights a week.

A BP spokesman said: "As part of our mitigation measures during the delay phase of Covid 19 (Coronavirus), we have taken the decision to transport individuals to our west of Shetland installations direct from Aberdeen instead of their normal transit through Shetland.

"This is a temporary measure intended to help remove unnecessary footfall on Shetland and to reduce the risk of the virus spreading."