Copter crash survivor took his own life
A HELICOPTER which crashed into the North Sea killing four passengers claimed another victim after one of the survivors took his own life, a fatal accident inquiry heard.
The inquiry heard Samuel Bull, one of the 18 people on the Super Puma L2 when it ditched near Sumburgh Airport, Shetland, on August 23, 2013, died in East Dulwich, London, on December 10, 2017.
Evidence states an inquest held that month in London said the offshore fuel analyst “bravely attempted to resuscitate another passenger” after the crash and had been receiving psychiatric treatment for PTSD.
The inquest ruled his death was suicide.
Sheriff Principal Derek Pyle, who is hearing the inquiry, said he had spoken to Mr Bull’s father and stressed the importance of there being “another victim apart from the four that died on the day”.
Sarah Darnley, 45, of Elgin; Gary McCrossan, 59, of Inverness; Duncan Munro, 46, of Bishop Auckland, County Durham, and George Allison, 57, of Winchester, died in the crash.
Two crew members and 12 remaining passengers survived the crash, which happened as the helicopter returned from the Borgsten Dolphin support vessel.
The inquiry also heard from Mr Bull’s colleague at the time of the crash, Matthew Bower, who he teamed up with to give CPR to Mr McCrossan who had a heart attack on their life raft after he escaped the downed helicopter.
Asked if his offshore training was helpful in dealing with the crash, Mr Bower, 31, said: “It saved my life on that day, yeah.”