Despite the Minister of Defence’s assertion that the crew from the crashed Super Puma had been rescued by a Moroccan fishing boat, nobody has any idea where they are. Consequently the search has restarted.

The Minister, who has now flown to the Canary Islands to at least be seen to be doing something, has come into angry, although muted, criticism from members of the Spanish Air Force. They consider that it was irresponsible of him to announce that the crew had been found safe and well if he was not 100% certain that they were.

As for the safety reputation of the Super Puma, in August 2013, a helicopter crashed in the North Sea killing four oil-rig workers. It was the fifth serious incident involving Super Pumas in as many years.

Lastly, one of the missing crew, the sergeant, was the only survivor in another helicopter crash back in March 2014. It was the same type of helicopter, also on a training mission, crashing 25 nautical miles from the Canary Islands, and belonging to the same squadron, 802 Squadron…

(News: Canary Islands)