UK Super Pumas Grounded After Norway Crash

Flights by the same model of helicopter involved in a fatal crash in Norway have been grounded by the UK's Civil Aviation Authority.

A 41-year-old British man working for oilfield services firm Halliburton was among at least 13 people killed when the Airbus EC225LP aircraft crashed.

The Briton is understood to be from Aberdeenshire in Scotland.

The aircraft, also known as the Super Puma, came down near the city of Bergen in Norway.

The CAA said in a statement: "Following the accident the UK CAA has issued an instruction to stop any commercial passenger flights by UK operators flying the Airbus EC225LP helicopter.

"This mirrors action taken by the Norwegian CAA. The restriction does not apply to search and rescue flights.

"The accident involved a Norwegian helicopter and will therefore be investigated by the Norwegian authorities.

"We will offer any assistance that we can."

Police spokesman Morten Kronen said the helicopter was "totally smashed" in the crash in the North Sea.

The aircraft had its maintenance servicing delayed twice, according to Norway's Civil Aviation Authority.

A witness told Norwegian media the helicopter's rotor was seen flying away from the helicopter before it crashed.

Wreckage of the rotor was found lying onshore, up to 300m away from the rest of the helicopter.

"While I looked up, the rotor loosened and disappeared towards the north," John Atle Sekkingstad told local newspaper Bergens Tidende.

"After that, the helicopter turned north and I saw fire at the top of the helicopter, where the rotor had been attached.

"It caught fire before it crashed."

Eleven Norwegians and an Italian were also on the flight, which crashed close to the country's west coast as it transported workers from a North Sea offshore oil field.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We have offered our support to the family of a British national who has sadly died in a helicopter crash in Bergen, Norway.

"Our thoughts are with all those affected. We will remain in contact with local authorities."

Norway's Prime Minister Erna Solberg described the tragedy as "horrible".

Accident investigators from Britain are travelling to Norway to assist with the inquiry.

State-owned Statoil, which operates the Gullfaks B platform which the helicopter was flying from, has stopped production at the site.