Norwegian helicopter crashes, 11 bodies recovered.

A helicopter carrying 13 people crashed today off the west coast of Norway, killing 11 and leaving two missing.

Rescue workers arrive at the scene of the plane crash. Photo: Reuters

According to Reuters, the Norwegian Rescue Service (NRK) in southern Norway said that 11 people on board were Norwegian nationals, while the rest were British and Italian. They were all employees of the oil and gas company Staoil.

The helicopter involved in the accident was a Eurocopter 225, according to the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority."This helicopter model experienced some gearbox problems in 2012. Its flight was restricted in 2012 and 2013," Norwegian officials said. Eyewitnesses reported that the rotor blades detached before the aircraft crashed and exploded.

The BBC reported that the plane crashed while flying from the Gullfaks oil field to Bergen, an industrial and oil hub in the North Sea region. Images from the scene show thick black smoke rising from the rocky area where the plane crashed. It is highly likely that there are no survivors. Firefighters, divers, and medical personnel are still actively searching.

The plane crashed west of Bergen. Graphic: BBC

According to VNE