Coastguard services have recovered eight bodies close to where a helicopter, carrying 16 people, crashed into the North Sea off the northeast coast of Scotland today.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the search for the other eight people on board was continuing.
Oil company BP said the aircraft was carrying 14 passengers and two crew from its Miller platform some 165 miles (270 km) offshore.
It ditched into the sea around 35 miles (56 km) off the coast of Crimond between Fraserburgh and Peterhead.
The aircraft is operated by Bond Offshore Helicopters, which runs a fleet of Super Puma twin-engined helicopters to supply sea-based oil rigs, the coastguard said.
Two Royal Aircraft helicopters and a Nimrod marine patrol aircraft are taking part in the rescue. Coastal lifeboats were also launched and a nearby ship, the "Normand Aurora", sent its fast rescue craft to the scene.
The crash comes less than two months after a Bond Super Puma helicopter crashed into the North Sea just 500 metres from a BP platform in an area known as the Eastern Trough Area Project.
On that occasion all 18 passengers were rescued, 15 by the platform's own lifeboat and three by air rescue.