Coastguard helicopters grounded

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The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has four of the Sikorsky S92 helicopters in Scotland, with two based in Shetland and another two in Stornoway.

They have been grounded after a S92 helicopter crashed into the ocean off the coast of Newfoundland in Canada earlier this month, killing 17 of the 18 people on board.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) spokesman Mark Clark said the agency had been advised late yesterday by its helicopter contractor CHC that the four S92 helicopters operating out of Stornoway and Shetland had been grounded pending further advice from the relevant safety authorities.

He said CHC had been instructed by the manufacturer Sikorsky to ground all S92s "pending an urgent modification to the S92 fleet".

He said: "This affects all S92s operated globally and is not unique to the coastguard or CHC."

Mr Clark added that the MCA was now "working closely with the Ministry of Defence to provide cover for the islands from Lossiemouth and Prestwick".

He added: "Once it has become more clear as to how long the Coastguard helicopters will remain grounded and any remedial engineering work that needs to be carried out, we will take a decision on implementing a contingency plan for longer term air coverage."

And he stressed: "The aircraft on the South Coast are unaffected."

The action comes after investigators examining wreckage of the helicopter which crashed off the coast of Canada found a broken component they said may have played a central role in the accident.