Rescue aircraft given all-clear

The Sikorsky S-92 helicopters were fitted with replacement parts

Coastguard rescue helicopters in Scotland have been given the all-clear after being grounded following a fatal crash in Canada.

The Sikorsky S-92 aircraft were fitted with replacement parts before returning to service following the accident in Newfoundland last week.

Seventeen people died and one person survived when the aircraft came down in the Atlantic on 12 March.

The RAF and Royal Navy provided emergency cover over the weekend.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) operates four S-92s based on Shetland and Lewis.

'Huge effort'

The agency said an engineer from its helicopter contractor CHC flew in from Norway to carry out the repairs.

MCA spokesman Mark Clark confirmed the work had been completed, saying "we are very pleased". It had been thought the aircraft would be out of action for several days.

Ian McLuskie, CHC's UK search and rescue manager, said there had been a "huge effort" to get them back to airworthiness, which had been a "key priority".

"It is good to see the plan that was put in place to achieve that has proved successful," he said.

A preliminary investigation into the crash in Canada suggested a gearbox mounting stud had failed.

No coastguard helicopters operating in England, Wales or Northern Ireland were affected.

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