North Sea ship accident victim named as David Stephenson

Apr 9 2009 by Tom Mullen, The Journal

AN offshore worker who died in an accident on a diving support vessel in the North Sea has been named as a man from Northumberland.

David Stephenson, a crewman on the Well Servicer, was airlifted to hospital following the accident during sea trials off the coast of Aberdeen in north east Scotland on Wednesday last week.

The 44-year-old, from Willow Bridge, Choppington, was pronounced dead at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary later the same evening. Full details of the accident have not been released, but it is known that Mr Stephenson suffered crush injuries on the Well Servicer, which is operated by engineering company Technip.

Investigations by the Health and Safety Executive and the Marine Accident Investigation Branch are underway.

The incident was not connected to the crash of a helicopter which went down elsewhere in the North Sea on the same day, April 1, with 16 people on board.

On Sunday, prayers were held in churches across Aberdeenshire for the victims of both tragedies.

The Rev Andrew Jolly, chaplain to the North Sea oil and gas industry, paid homage to all the victims.