Helicopter crash victims remembered at memorial
- 00:02:23
- ITN
Helicopter crash victims remembered at memorial
Hundreds of mourners have attended a memorial service for 16 men who died when their helicopter crashed in the North Sea. The Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond were among those at the service in the Kirk of St Nicholas Uniting in Aberdeen. During the emotional service which around 1,000 people attended, candles were lit for each victim. Outside, around 2,000 members of the public watched the service on big screens in Union Street. Relatives and friends of the victims of the crash, which took place exactly two weeks ago, looked on as tributes were paid. Some wept as candles for the victims were lit in the church. The 14 passengers and two crew were returning from BP's Miller platform when the Super Puma went down 11 miles northeast of Peterhead two weeks ago. Half the victims were from the north-east of Scotland, seven from the rest of the UK and one from Latvia. The service also recognised David Stephenson, who died on board the oil rig support vessel Wellservicer on the same day as the helicopter crash. Presiding over the service, the Rev Andrew Jolly, chaplain to the UK oil and gas industry, said: "This occasion must be for us all today a time of great sadness and sorrow." He continued: "Those of us here in this kirk, and those who join us outside and offshore and around the world, cannot begin to imagine the pain and sorrow the relatives of those who perished on April 1, 2009 must be feeling at this time. "But as we gather here today - representatives of the oil and gas industry, the Miller installation, the wider community of Aberdeen and the nation as a whole - we want all of you to know that your loss is our loss, that your sorrow is our sorrow too, and, as we share that with you, we want you to know that you can look to us in the days, months and years ahead for comfort, for love but most of all for support." He assured the relatives of the dead men that the victims will never be forgotten. The bodies of 13 of the men are to be returned to their families while the bodies of the three remaining victims will be returned as soon as possible. An initial report into the crash by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch found that the aircraft had a "catastrophic failure" in its main gearbox. It also concluded that this failure caused the helicopter's main rotor to detach from the aircraft and its tail to become severed from the fuselage. Trade unions of offshore workers have called for all Super Puma helicopters to be grounded while safety inspections are carried out. Industry body Oil & Gas UK said all safety requirements called for by accident investigators will be met.
ITN | April 15, 2009
