News / Super Pumas withdrawn from service

Chris Cope

28 July 2016 15:15

One of the Super Puma helicopters on its way to Lerwick. Photo: Ronnie Robertson

THERE was an unusual sight on the roads in the south mainland of Shetland on Wednesday after two helicopters recently grounded over safety concerns were removed from Sumburgh Airport.

The Super Puma AS332 L2 helicopters were taken on flatbed lorries from the airport before being sent south on the NorthLink ferry from Lerwick.

A helicopter being prepared ahead of its journey from Sumburgh to Lerwick on Wednesday. Photo: Ronnie Robertson

Operator Babcock confirmed that the choppers were to be taken to its storage facility in Humberside.

In June the European Aviation Safety Agency grounded Super Puma helicopters after 13 people were killed off the west coast of Norway when a CHC run EC225 crashed following technical problems.

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