The families of four oil workers who died in a North Sea Super Puma crash have welcomed a landmark legal move to seize the black box from the doomed helicopter.
Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland has applied to the Court of Session to acquire flight data from the CHC-operated aircraft which crashed off Sumburgh just over a year ago.
It is the first move of its kind to be made under civil aviation laws – and the Crown Office said last night it was in the public interest to act.
Mr Mulholland hopes that accessing the data will speed-up Crown Office inquiries into the tragedy on August 23, 2013.
Lawyers representing some of the bereaved families have already claimed they are being kept in the dark about the tragedy.
Crucial information about the last moments of the tragic journey will help determine whether criminal charges will be brought in connection with the deaths, or whether a Fatal Accident Inquiry will be held.
Anne Darnley, 74, of Elgin, lost her 45-year-old daughter Sarah in the crash.
Ms Darnley, of Aberdeen, who was working as a caterer, was the first female oil worker to have died in a North Sea accident.
Her mother said last night: “We need to get to the truth about what happened. If this is what it takes the Lord Advocate, then this is what it takes.
“Nothing will bring Sarah back but anything that can be done to improve safety out there has to be done. Safety is paramount and we need to know if lessons can be learned.”
She said it was important to know what happened to her daughter as soon as possible.
She added: “I am not angry, I have no bitterness, but I am very sad.
“The sooner we know what happened, the better.”
The black box, which contains flight data and voice recordings, is currently held by the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB), which has no duty to share information while its inquiries continue.
Normally, the Crown Office would begin its full investigation after the AAIB had concluded its full report.
The AAIB, which is part of the UK Government’s Department for Transport, has so far said there was no obvious technical failure and that pilot error may have been a factor.
Mr Mulholland’s attempt to expedite inquiries was made after widespread criticism from relatives of the 16 men killed in the April 2009 Super Puma crash over delays in the system.
The results of the FAI into that tragedy were not reported until March this year.
Other victims of last year’s crash off Shetland were Gary McCrossan, 59, from Inverness, Duncan Munro, 46, from Bishop Auckland, and George Allison, 57, from Winchester.
Chris Gordon, managing partner of Thompsons Solicitors in Aberdeen, represents the families of the three men.
Mr Gordon said last night: “A year has passed since this tragedy and the families have been kept in the dark regarding what has happened.
“It took around four years for the Lord Advocate to decide there would be no prosecution after the April 2009 crash.
“Hopefully, this development will mean the Crown Office are going to speed matter up, which the families welcome.”
A spokesman for the Crown Office said: “Following a helicopter crash off Sumburgh on August 23, 2013 in which four people died, Crown Office began an investigation into the cause of the deaths.
“The investigation is ongoing and the families of those who died will continue to be updated in relation to any significant developments.”
A spokesman for the AAIB said: “Regulations allow for the release of this type of information if a court decides it is in the public interest to do so. The court has yet to make its decision in this case.”