Preliminary Reports
One Killed, Five Hurt in North Sea Training Accident
Sikorsky S-92A, Feb. 28, 2024,15 nm west of Bergen, Norway
A search-and-rescue (SAR) crew located five of the six crew members after the helicopter crashed into the sea near Sotra Island but had to return to base for fuel before locating the sixth. By the time a second flight found her, the 61-year-old nurse had been in the water more than 25 minutes. She was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital; one survivor was hospitalized in critical condition and a second was described as seriously hurt.
The wreckage was subsequently recovered from a depth of 220 meters (720 feet). Records retrieved from the flight data recorder led investigators to conclude that the crash “cannot be described as a controlled emergency landing,” possibly explaining why the aircraft’s emergency floats did not activate. The accident, which prompted a brief safety standdown, occurred while the crew was training to conduct SAR operations.
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