Investigations are under way after a search and rescue-configured Sikorsky S-92 operated by Bristow Group came down off the coast of Norway.
Bristow says the helicopter, which it identifies as LN-OIJ, was “involved in an accident at about 19:40 CET” around 15nm (28km) west of Bergen.
Although Initial reports said that all six occupants of the aircraft had been safely rescued and transported to hospital, Bristow subsequently updated this to say one passenger had died, In addition, the other five crew members have ”varying levels of injuries”, the operator says.
Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet reports that one person is critically injured while another has serious injuries.
The aircraft is contracted to a civilian customer and was conducting a training mission at the time of the incident, Bristow says.
Sikorsky adds: “We are aware of the incident and stand ready to support the investigative authorities and our customer. Safety is our top priority.”
Meteorological information for the Bergen area shows winds of 18kt (33km/h), gusting to 28kt, from the south-southeast and visibility of around 6nm.
Cirium fleets data record LN-OIJ as a 2012-built example (MSN169), previously operated by Bristow on behalf of the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency as G-MCGC. It was transferred to Bristow Norway in 2023.
With the offshore oil and gas industry reliant on the S-92 heavy-twin for long-range transport missions, operators in the sector will be waiting nervously for the initial investigation findings in case there are immediate implications for their fleets.
This story has been changed to reflect updates to the status of casualties.
