Shetland Super Puma crash: North Sea helicopter safety 'improved' after crash

The Super Puma crashed into the sea on its approach to Shetland

North Sea helicopter safety has improved since a crash in 2013 off Shetland in which four people died, an inquiry has heard.

Super Puma 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 11th day of a fatal accident inquiry heard there had been no fatalities in the seven years since.

The accident rate has also halved.

The helicopter hit the sea on its approach to Sumburgh and overturned, but did not sink as flotation devices were armed just in time.

Captain Richard Newson, the flight operations manager for helicopters with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), said a "systematic safety review" was carried out after the accident.

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Derek Pyle, sheriff principal of Grampian, Highland and Islands, asked if there had been improvement.

Captain Newson said the statistics showed there had been.

He told the FAI that the fact that there had been no deaths in the past seven years, and that the accident rate had been halved was "tantamount to the work that has been put in".

Captain Newson said aspects reviewed included airworthiness, crew performance, flight data monitoring and passenger survival aspects, such as automatic float deployment, and window sizes.

All Crown witnesses have now been led, with written submissions now to be lodged.

Sheriff Principal Pyle adjourned the case until 25 September.

Four passengers lost their lives

Sarah Darnley, Duncan Munro and George Allison drowned after the helicopter hit the water.

Gary McCrossan, who had cardiac disease, died from heart failure following the crash.

The inquiry has also heard that one survivor, Samuel Bull, who was believed to be 28, later took his own life after suffering post-traumatic stress disorder.

The inquiry was previously delayed due to coronavirus measures.