| Nairn Ferrier (40) was on board the Bond-operated aircraft that went down off the Aberdeen coast yesterday afternoon as it was returning from the BP Miller platform.
Eight bodies were recovered in the immediate aftermath of the crash. However, an extensive search failed to find the other eight passengers last night.
The search for the missing eight resumed at first light this morning.
Members of the family, who had gathered at the Ferriers’ home in Broughty Ferry, were too distressed to speak to the Tele this morning.
The heartbreak is compounded by the fact that, due to a last-minute scheduling change, Mr Ferrier had avoided being on the helicopter that came down in thick fog in the North Sea in February.
Mr Ferrier married Katherine, who trained as a teacher, in 2001 in Las Vegas.
The Super Puma aircraft, a Bond AS 332L Mk 2, was carrying 16 people — 14 passengers and two crew — when it came down around 13 miles off the coast of Crimond between Fraserburgh and Peterhead.
Two RNLI lifeboats from Peterhead and Fraserburgh joined seven other vessels, including ferries and fishing boats, when the search continued today.
The area being searched covers 30 nautical miles.
Two helicopters from the RAF (R131 & R 137) were immediately scrambled to the scene, and a Nimrod marine patrol aircraft was also diverted to the area as Aberdeen Coastguard broadcast a mayday signal.
RNLI lifeboats from Peterhead and Fraserburgh also searched along with 14 other vessels including the Caledonian Victory, Nord Fortune, Vigilant and the Normand Aurora.
A spokeswoman from BP said today, “The police and coastguard have been co-ordinating the search. The company is fully co-operating with the authorities.”
BP said the company were not using Bond helicopters for transporting North Sea workers today as a mark of respect.
A spokesman for the oil firm said, “To give Bond the time to reflect upon the loss of two of their colleagues, BP has decided not to use Bond aircraft for passenger operations with immediate effect. Alternative arrangements have been put in place to cover our offshore helicopter operations for as long as may be required.”
Bond representative Bill Munro said the company had “every confidence in the Super Puma family”, adding it was far too early to speculate as to the cause of the tragedy.
The disaster is reminiscent of an incident in February where 18 passengers, being transported to a North Sea oil platform, miraculously walked away after the helicopter they were on crashed in heavy fog.
The Super Puma Bond crew-change helicopter went down at around 6.40am on February 18 on approach to an installation about 125 miles east of Aberdeen. All on board survived.
Grampian Police have said any concerned relatives should contact them on 01224 836479.
— First Minister Alex Salmond, paying tribute to the 16 victims of the North Sea helicopter tragedy, told the Scottish Parliament one of the victims was from Angus.
A source told the Evening Telegraph the man was from the Friockheim area. |
