“If the sea state is too rough for a successful emergency ditching, then a helicopter shouldn’t be operating, period,” TSB’s Wendy Tadros said at a press conference in St. John’s Wednesday afternoon.
On Friday, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers said Newfoundland’s three offshore oil operators — Hibernia, Terra Nova and White Rose — would adopt the TSB’s recommendation.
Newfoundland operators to halt flights when seas are rough
February 14, 2011 by offshoreenergy
Bud's Offshore Energy (BOE) 
I would,nt agree more with these specific comments when there is a full crew to uplift 100 persons + , the safety of the helicopter crew itself is of great concern. The accident last week involving the FPSO Gryphon Alpha has shown just that, and the limitation in airspeed , payload ,refuelling while 140 miles offshore was made possible due to dropping off the passengers on nearby installations few miles away. Similarly in 1968 an entire rig crew was removed from the “Ocean Prince” by one pilot in a small helico, during the last few trips with people still left on the heliport the derrick and half the rig has already broken off and fallen overboard !. I was offshore in Norway at the time and we had a good 80 knot wind and 45 ft seas. PS You can see photos of the “Ocean Prince” on Norsk Oljepioner web