The BBC is reporting a CHC helicopter has ditched in the North Sea, all onboard safe

All 19 people on board a helicopter which ditched in the North Sea have been safely rescued, the BBC is reporting on its website. (Here is the full report).

The incident happened in an area 32 miles south of Shetland, off Fair Isle. The alarm was raised at about 15:30.

CHC Helicopter said the Super Puma EC 225 had been heading to the West Phoenix drilling rig.

A spokesman said, "All 17 passengers and two crew have been picked up by the standby vessel Nord Nightingale following the controlled ditching."

CHC added, "All 19 people on board are safe and well.

"CHC's primary objective is always the safety of our passengers and crew, and our pilots' actions today are consistent with that.

Today's ditching, involving a Super Puma EC 225, is the fourth serious incident involving this type of helicopter in the North Sea in the past four years.

In May all 14 people on board a Super Puma EC 225 were rescued when their helicopter came down around 30 miles off the coast of Aberdeen during a flight to an oil rig.

In April 2009, disaster struck a different model of the Super Puma aircraft, an older AS 332 L2. It was returning from BP's Miller oil platform when it suffered a catastrophic gearbox failure and crashed off Peterhead, killing all 16 people on board: two pilots and 14 oil workers.

In February 2009, a Super Puma EC 225 ditched in fog a short distance from a BP oil platform in the ETAP field, 125 miles (200km) east of Aberdeen. All 18 people on board survived. Crew error and a faulty alert system were blamed.

"The flight was being operated on behalf of Total.

“The appropriate authorities have been informed and a full investigation will be undertaken to determine the cause of the incident."

An RNLI spokesperson told BBC Scotland the Kirkwall, Aith and Lerwick lifeboats were launched after being alerted by Shetland Coastguard.

Helicopters were also sent to the scene.

In May, all 14 people on board a Super Puma EC 225 were rescued when their helicopter came down around 30 miles off the coast of Aberdeen during a flight to an oil rig.

Jake Molloy, from the RMT union, said, "Coming so soon after another ditching, and culminating in four incidents in the space a little over three years, it's bound to cause a bit of concern on the ground.

"I think what's absolutely vital now is to get communications out to reassure the workforce and their families, that their means of transportation to and from their work is safe."

Bob Lauder, industry body Oil and Gas UK's health and safety policy manager, said, "Oil and Gas UK is pleased to hear that all 19 people on board this helicopter have been successfully rescued.

"This is testament to the skill of the pilots, as well as the comprehensive survival training which all offshore workers must undergo to prepare them for this type of situation.

"We now await more information on the cause of this incident."

Check out the story at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-20033833