Published: 16:37, July 16, 2022
Updated: 4:08 PM July 16, 2022
The lives of 11 men who died after a helicopter crashed into the North Sea off Great Yarmouth 20 years ago have been remembered in a church service.
On July 16, 2002, a Sikorsky helicopter carrying workers on the high seas crashed 25 miles from the city.
The Rev. Peter Paine pays tribute to the 11 men who lost their lives – Credit: Anthony Carroll
Twenty years to the day a memorial service was held at Great Yarmouth Minster.
The service saw 11 candles lit for each of the men who lost their lives.
The candles were lit next to a glass porch commemorating the 11 men.
The men who died were Stewart Coggon, Philip Stone, Kevin Taylor, Dennis Kelleher, Angus MacArthur, Geoffrey Bispham, David Graves, Douglas Learwood, Paul Francis, Philip Wade and Philip Dearden.
The Saturday afternoon service was led by the Rev. Canon Simon Ward.
The Rev. Canon Simon Ward paid tribute to the 11 men who lost their lives – Credit: Anthony Carroll
He said lighting candles helped mourning people express their loss.
Rev Ward said: “It helps to articulate the words that we sometimes find difficult to form.
Great Yarmouth Minster held a memorial service – Credit: Anthony Carroll
“I imagine that candles were lit in this church and in many other places 20 years ago when the news of this tragedy became known.
“The deaths had a huge impact on the city and the wider community of East Anglia.
“The ripples were also felt beyond this region.”
The Rev. Peter Paine was a port chaplain at the time of the accident and had provided comfort to families and colleagues.
A candle is lit for one of the 11 men who died in the crash – Credit: Anthony Carroll
He took part in Saturday’s service and invited District Mayor Graham Plant to light the first candle in memory of the victims.
Then the 11 main candles were lit, even by family members
The Bristow Sikorsky S76 helicopter had two crew and nine passengers on board.
The lives of the 11 men were remembered as candles were lit in his memory – Credit: Anthony Carroll
He had a contract with Shell UK Exploration and Productions and had left the Sole Pit gas production platform bound for the Leman gas field.
Experts said the main rotor blade fractured and caused the boat to sink into the sea and gave no hope of survival to those on board.
Shell, for whom three of the men worked, had erected a glass porch in the cathedral in memory of the 11 who died.
The Rev. Peter Paine watches as a candle is lit – Credit: Anthony Carroll
The roof of the porch has the shape of a rotor blade of a helicopter and painted on it gold is the name of each of the victims.
Service at Great Yarmouth Minster saw candles lit in memory of the victims of the crash. – Credit: Anthony Carroll
How the news of the accident was reported – Credit: Archant
The tragedy impacted the region. – Credit: Archant