Helicopter firm Bond has set aside a further £5million for compensation claims made by those who lost loved ones in the April 2009 North Sea disaster.
The company’s recent financial statements show the additional money is needed to cover any claims over and above the £15million set aside during the previous financial period.
The document states: “As a consequence of the AS332 L2 Super Puma accident on April 1, 2009, Bond Offshore Helicopters has received a number of claims in respect of passengers and crew on board the helicopter at the time of the accident.”
Two crew and 14 passengers were killed when the aircraft, built by Eurocopter, crashed into the sea 11 miles north-east of Peterhead. It had been returning from BP’s Miller platform and was 50 minutes into its journey when tragedy struck.
The accident – caused by a “fatigue crack” in part of the aircraft’s gearbox – was the worst oil industry disaster since Piper Alpha in 1987.
It remains unclear whether all claims from families of the 16 passengers and crew have now been settled.
It was reported last November that about 10 claims made by relatives of the 14 passengers who died in the crash had been agreed
They were estimated to have received a share of £15million.
The partners of Captain Paul Burnham, 31, and co-pilot Richard Menzies, 24, raised separate actions – understood to be worth about £4million.
No one at Bond Offshore Helicopters was available for comment last night.