Sumburgh Super Puma crash: Fatal accident inquiry will not happen in May

Four people died in the 2013 crash

A fatal accident inquiry into a helicopter crash which killed four people off Shetland will be delayed due to coronavirus measures.

A total of 18 people were on board when the Super Puma crashed in 2013.

Passengers Sarah Darnley, 45, from Elgin, Gary McCrossan, 59, from Inverness, Duncan Munro, 46, from Bishop Auckland, and George Allison, 57, from Winchester, died.

The FAI scheduled for May has been adjourned.

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Derek Pyle, Sheriff Principal of Grampian, Highland and Islands, said: "In relation to this inquiry, the safety of all involved must be the paramount consideration of the court.

"Once normal court business resumes, a date will be sought as early as is possible to continue the inquiry hearings.

"Meantime, the parties involved have been urged to continue to agree evidence where appropriate as far as they can while working remotely."

In 2016, a report said flight instruments were "not monitored effectively" by the pilots in the moments leading up to the crash.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said a lack of monitoring meant a reduction in air speed was not noticed by the pilots.

Attempts to recover were too late.

The report also said the impact with the water had been "survivable".

It said one of the four victims had been unable to escape, one was incapacitated by a head injury, one drowned before reaching the surface, and the other died in the life raft from a chronic heart condition.