Search called off in Norway as 13 die in oil-rig helicopter crash

The search operation launched after a helicopter crashed off the coast of western Norway has been called off and all 13 people on board are presumed dead, rescue officials said.

Jon Sjursoe, a spokesman for Norway’s Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre, said the Eurocopter EC-225 helicopter was carrying 11 Norwegians, one Briton, and one Italian from the Gullfaks B oil field in the North Sea to Bergen, 120km away on the Norwegian mainland.

Norwegian broadcaster NRK said 11 people on board were employed by the Norwegian oil and gas company Statoil ASA.