Helicopter's 16 'heroes' honoured

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Prince Charles, Prime Minister Gordon Brown and First Minister Alex Salmond attend a memorial service for the victims of the North Sea helicopter crash

The 16 men who died in the North Sea helicopter crash disaster were called "heroes" at a memorial service.

Prince Charles and Prime Minister Gordon Brown joined hundreds of relatives of the victims at the Kirk of St Nicholas in Aberdeen.

A candle was lit in memory of each of the men who died as their names were read aloud.

The men died when their Super Puma crashed off the Aberdeenshire coast two weeks ago.

Camilla, Duchess of Rothesay, and Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond were also in attendance at the memorial, as were about 100 workers from the Miller platform, from which the helicopter had been returning.

Candles were lit for each of the men who died

A screen was erected on Union Street to relay the service outside, and was watched by hundreds more people.

The service was conducted by the Reverend Andrew Jolly, chaplain to the North Sea oil and gas industry.

He said: "This occasion must be for us all today a time of great sadness and sorrow.

"Those of us here and those who join us outside and offshore and around the world cannot begin to imagine the pain and sorrow the relatives of those who perished on 1 April, 2009 must be feeling at this time."

He said those affected would never forget what had happened.

He added of the book of condolence: "It's important I believe at this time that such a book is created, for it serves to remind us of those who are the heroes of this industry.

Safety is the ultimate priority for those who work in the North Sea. Let that stand as a memorial we can give to the lives of those who died so tragically in this accident Alex Salmond First Minister

"They have paid the ultimate price for the richness harvested below the seabed."

Mr Jolly said he would fly out to the Miller platform on Thursday to conduct a further memorial for those who could not attend.

Wednesday's service also honoured a 17th man who died in an unrelated offshore accident on the same day as the Bond Super Puma accident. David Stephenson, 44, of Willow Bridge, Northumberland, was a crewman on the Well Servicer, operated by Technip.

Speaking after the service, Mr Salmond said: "Today's service was an important opportunity for the families, friends and colleagues of those lost in this tragic accident to come together and remember them.

"The service was simple, dignified and enormously moving. It will mean a great deal to the families, as will the turnout from thousands of people to make their own tribute.

"Our thoughts are with the loved ones of the victims, and also with those in the emergency and voluntary services whose heroic efforts on the day of the accident sadly proved to be in vain."

He added: "Safety is the ultimate priority for those who work in the North Sea. Let that stand as a memorial we can give to the lives of those who died so tragically in this accident."

Aberdeen businessman Sir Ian Wood, chairman of the multi-million pound energy services firm John Wood Group, said: "The first emotion from the oil and gas industry is deep sorrow and sympathy for the families."

Permanent memorial

He said a safe environment was needed in the industry.

The memorial, which started at 1400 BST, was broadcast live on BBC Two Scotland, BBC Radio Scotland Medium Wave and on the BBC news website.

The Super Puma helicopter had been returning from BP's Miller oil platform when it crashed about 11 miles north east of Peterhead on 1 April.

All 14 passengers and two crew members on board were killed.

Those who died in North Sea crash

Eight of the victims came from the north east of Scotland, seven from the rest of the UK, and one from Latvia.

Early discussions have taken place on a possible permanent memorial for the victims of the Super Puma crash.

The matter will be discussed by the newly-formed Helicopter Accident Issues Task Group.

On Tuesday, Grampian Police said the bodies of 13 of the victims were being returned to their families. They said the other three would be released as soon as possible.

The wreckage was recovered from the seabed. It included the black box flight recorder, the fuselage with the engines and rotor gearbox attached, the separated rotor head with the main rotor blades still attached, and the separated tail.

An initial report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch found the helicopter had suffered a "catastrophic" failure in its main rotor gearbox.