One person has died and five others are believed to be injured after a helicopter on a training assignment for Equinor crashed off the coast of western Norway.
In a statement this morning, Equinor said the cause of the accident on the Bristow Norway helicopter is not yet known, and confirmed that all regular flights on the Norwegian continental shelf remain halted.
"This is a deeply tragic incident. Today is a difficult day for many. Our thoughts are with the families, close ones and others affected," said Anders Opedal, Equinor’s chief executive officer.
"Everyone on board the helicopter was on an assignment for Equinor. Our key task now is to help take care of those involved. We express our thanks to the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre and everyone involved in the rescue operation and the ongoing work."
A spokesperson for Bristow added: "The Company is in the process of collecting pertinent information and will provide updates as appropriate."
The Sikorsky S-92 model - which Norway is almost entirely reliant following issues with the Super Puma - was on a search and rescue mission, according to a local police spokesperson. Reports suggest that the area had been experiencing high winds at the time of the incident.