Lest we forget. 28 years on from the worst disaster in the North Sea’s history, Energy Voice looks back on how the Piper Alpha tragedy unfolded and changed the role of safety offshore forever. This excerpt was published on Thursday, July 7, 1988 at 5am.
It was 3.20 this morning when the first helicopter arrived with the dawn at the helipad at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
Ambulances waited to rush the victims to the accident and emergency unit, a few hundred yards away, where doctors and nurses were ready to go to work on the injured.
A handful of shocked relatives were in the waiting crowd, which included a large Press and TV contingent.
Seven men walked from the Bristow Puma and two were carried out on stretchers.
One of the latter had obviously been badly burned and there was a cry for resuscitation equipment as he was carried into the hospital.
As the men walked from an ambulance into the hospital building, a sobbing woman fell into the arms of one of them, obviously overcome to know he was among the survivors.
They went into the hospital still clinging to each other.
The helicopter had no sooner disembarked its passengers than it quickly lifted off again, apparently heading back to the disaster scene.
More helicopters were expected at the hospital this morning.
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