Helicopter safety inquiry wants military testimony

The head of a St. John's-based commission of inquiry into offshore helicopter safety has reversed his position and will now ask the Department of National Defence to testify after Christmas.

The inquiry led by retired Supreme Court judge Robert Wells was called by the Canada-Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Board after 17 people died when a helicopter ferrying oil workers crashed into the ocean 55 kilometres southeast of St. John's on March 12.

Wells said in October that DND's search-and-rescue operations are outside the mandate of the inquiry and he would not ask its representatives to testify.

Wells said Wednesday he has changed his mind after consulting with the CNLOPB, the body that regulates the province's oil industry.

"We discussed it and we are both of the same mind that the terms of reference could be fairly interpreted in such a way to ask a DND witness to be present," said Wells.

Wells said he also wants an estimate on what he calls "a state-of-the-art first response time" from St. John's Airport to the province's offshore oil production areas.

Wells said DND had not yet responded to his request Wednesday.

Earlier this fall, DND wrote a letter to the inquiry explaining it's search-and-rescue work in the province. It argued the Canadian military's three Gander-based Cormorant helicopters should remain stationed in the northeastern Newfoundland community.