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UK News Contents: England | N Ireland | Scotland | Thursday, 18 July, 2002, 13:28 GMT 14:28 UK

Duke meets helicopter rescue team

The Duke of Edinburgh has met members of the rescue team who tried to save the victims of the Great Yarmouth helicopter crash.

Prince Philip visited the Norfolk Nelson Museum in Great Yarmouth on Thursday and was told about the search and rescue effort in the North Sea.

A Sikorsky S-76 helicopter - similar to the helicopter used by the Queen and her husband on their Jubilee tour - plunged into the sea while ferrying workers to an oil rig.

The Duke met Colin Tomlinson, HM Coastguard District Controller at Great Yarmouth, who has been co-ordinating the search and recovery operation following the crash.

Condolence message

He also met representatives of the Cromer Lifeboat Team, Shell UK and Bristow Helicopters.

Five people have been confirmed dead and their bodies returned to Great Yarmouth but six people are still missing, feared dead.

The men went into the water on Tuesday night as they neared the Santa Fe Monarch gas drilling rig.

RAF crew involved in the search for survivors believe that a "catastrophic" mechanical fault may have caused the helicopter to crash.

Both the Queen and Tony Blair have offered their condolences to relatives.


Related to this story:
Crash blamed on 'major fault' (18 Jul 02 | England) Sorrow for oil tragedy victims (17 Jul 02 | Scotland) Hopes fade for crash survivors (17 Jul 02 | England) History of North Sea crashes (17 Jul 02 | UK) Helicopter's good safety record (17 Jul 02 | UK) Crew 'trained for survival' (16 Jul 02 | UK) The ups and downs of life offshore (18 Jun 02 | Business)


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