Helicopter crash inquest starts

Co-pilot Philip Dearden died in the helicopter accident

A "catastrophic mechanical failure" sent 10 men to their deaths in a helicopter crash three years ago, an inquest in Norfolk has heard.

Insp Michael Lamb of Norfolk Police told the inquest the crash probe centred on the separation of one of the Sikorsky S-76A's main rotor blades.

Two crew and nine Shell workers died when the helicopter went down between two gas platforms 28 miles from Cromer.

The body of the eleventh man has never been recovered from the 16 July crash.

The aircraft was taking workers to a gas drilling rig.

Passengers and crew on board Captain Philip Wake, 42, from Strumpshaw, Norfolk Angus Macarthur, 38, from Maryburgh, Scotland Dennis Kelleher, 40, from Lytham St Annes, Lancashire Stuart Coggon, 45, from Middlesborough David Graves, 33, from Ilketshall St Andrew, Suffolk Geoffrey Bispham, 51, from Worstead, Norfolk Douglas Learwood, 40, from Middlesborough First officer Philip Dearden, 32, from Norwich, Norfolk Kevin Taylor, 50, from Little Plumstead, Norfolk Philip George Stone, 53, of Norwich, Norfolk Paul Francis, 48, from Norwich, Norfolk

The jury heard the Sikorsky operated by Norfolk company Bristow Helicopters had taken off from Norwich International Airport and crashed just before reaching the Santa Fe Monarch platform.

David Middleton, a licensed aircraft engineer for Bristow Helicopters, carried out a routine inspection of the helicopter on the afternoon of 16 July which gave no cause for concern.

He said in a statement: "Everything was in order and working correctly."

Consultant aviation pathologist Dr Ian Hill said the men whose bodies have been recovered had suffered extensive injuries.

He gave the cause of their deaths as multiple injuries due to an aircraft accident.

The body of Paul Francis, 48, from Norwich, has yet to be recovered but it was "beyond all reasonable doubt" that Mr Francis was on the flight, the inquest heard.