Aberdeen's News Headlines
Seven days for 'urgent' helicopter checks
The operators of Super Puma helicopters - not just in the North Sea but across Europe - have been given seven days to carry out vital gearbox safety checks after a crash which left sixteen men dead.
The ruling from the European Aviation Safety Agency follow recommendations from the Air Accident investigation branch and apply to two specific models of the aircraft - the type which crashed off the coast of Peterhead on the 1st April and the model which ditched in the Etap field.
The checks are mandatory and may lead to the grounding of the UK fleet.
The move has come on the same day as the AAIB say they're struggling to identify the cause of the catastrophic gearbox failure which led to the second crash.
Investigators say a great deal of secondary damage caused by flying metal is hapering their work.
Today also saw the first meeting of the oil industry's helicopter task force, set up in light of the crash.
