Global Information2006 Morecambe Bay Eurocopter AS365 crash information
 An AS365 Dauphin similar to the accident helicopter | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 27 December 2006 |
| Summary | Descent into sea due to pilot error |
| Site | Morecambe Bay, Irish Sea 53°57′22″N 003°40′12″W / 53.95611°N 3.67000°W |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin |
| Operator | CHC Helicopter |
| Registration | G-BLUN |
| Flight origin | Blackpool Airport |
| Destination | Morecambe Bay gas platforms |
| Passengers | 5 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Fatalities | 7 (all, including 1 missing) |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Survivors | 0 (presumed) |
The 2006 Morecambe Bay Helicopter Crash was a fatal air incident that occurred on 27 December 2006 at approximately 18:40 GMT,[1] while remote platform (Normally Unmanned Installations) crew were being transported from the Millom West via North Morecambe gas platforms to return them to the AP1, part of the Morecambe Field's Central Complex, situated approximately 24 miles (39 km) from the shoreline of Morecambe Bay, Lancashire, England.
Rescue efforts recovered the bodies of six men, including those of the two pilots. The body of the seventh victim was never recovered.[2][3][4]
The helicopter was a Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin, registration G-BLUN, owned by CHC Helicopter. The aircraft was contracted by Centrica, the company that manages the gas platform to which the helicopter was traveling.
Initial rescue was undertaken by an emergency response rescue vessel Highland Sprite (E.R.R.V) and her two onboard fast rescue craft, and later by Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) rescue service operating out of nearby Lytham St Annes,[2] and was coordinated by HM Coastguard.
- ^ "BBC News". BBC News. 28 December 2006. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
- ^ a b RNLI news item Archived 14 January 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Search for last body called off – Morecambe Today – Obtained 24 January 2007. [dead link]
- ^ AAIB final report, section 1.2 "Injuries to persons", page 10.