A Dundee man who escaped from a fatal helicopter crash has called for a public inquiry into the incident, following a report that passengers were not properly informed about safety equipment.
Stuart Mathers was one of 12 offshore workers who survived the North Sea tragedy, which left four people dead.
And he believes that the outcome could have been different had the crew been informed about potentially-lifesaving breathing equipment in their lifejackets.
He said: “I think there should be a public inquiry into this. I need answers. We all do.
“I’m positive if they knew there was lifesaving equipment available, it would be a different story.”
The Super Puma helicopter was on its way back to Sumburgh Airport on August 23 when it ditched in the North Sea.
Mr Mathers, who lives in Craigie, said he was contacted last month by the Air Accident Investigation Branch as part of its investigation into the tragedy.
That was when he learned the lifejacket he had been wearing at the time of the crash was different to the type he had used previously.
The jackets they wore that day featured air cylinders, instead of a model which required the wearer to blow into a tube before re-using that same air.
And the AAIB believes the men were not briefed about the different system before they took off.
“They asked me if I was aware that the lifejacket I had been wearing was of a different type to the ones in the past,” the 38-year-old said.
“I said no. I almost collapsed when they told me, I was absolutely furious. Afterwards all the nightmares came back.
“I was getting along OK, through therapy, and it has put me right back.
“I gave up in that helicopter. I basically drank water to get it over and done with,” he said.
He added: “Nothing can prepare you for a crash. The shock of looking out of the window as you’re going down towards the water is unbelievable.
“It took four or five seconds. You think, ‘Is this really happening to me?’”