As the painstaking investigation into the cause of the helicopter ditching into the North Sea gets well under way, many are wondering how could this have happened?

The latest incident also raises one central question – how safe are the men and women who work on these oil and gas installations off Scotland?

Most offshore workers take the commute to work for granted, but the accident involving 18 people and a Super Puma helicopter proves just how dangerous life offshore can be.

There is no doubt the calm seas on Wednesday night played a major part in the swift rescue. However, the vigorous safety training that workers undertake certainly contributed to the fortunate outcome.

The most recent escape was almost a carbon copy of the drama in 1995 when a lightning strike saw a Super Puma brought down in 14-foot waves. Everyone on board survived.

In 1986, 45 men lost their lives when a routine trip home from the Brent Field ended in disaster. Their Chinook helicopter crashed and a mechanical failure was to blame. And just two years ago, seven people lost their lives when a chopper crashed into the Irish Sea.

The people who work in this dangerous business participate in rigorous safety training.

In Aberdeen on Thursday, oil workers were being put through the kind of crucial instruction which almost certainly helped save the lives of the men involved in Wednesday night's drama.
The training carried out at centres no doubt played a major role in the amazing rescue.

Thousands of offshore workers go through courses to ensure they know exactly what to do in the worst case scenario.

Industry leaders say the North Sea has the best safety record in the world, and it is that measure of precaution and preparation that helped keep 18 men alive and back with their families.
 

CRASH AT SEA - EXTRA

Interview with RAF Kinloss Squadron Leader Barry Neilson

Interview with experienced helicopter pilot Quentin Mayberry

RAF footage of nighttime scene in the North Sea