Espen Hammer Wibe

Espen Hammer Wibe was undeniably responsible for saving at least two lives during the Bristow accident off the coast of Sotra. With his expertise, composure, and leadership, he guided the group of survivors far beyond what could be expected of someone who had barely survived the accident himself.

On February 28, 2024, a Bristow helicopter crashed 4 nautical miles west of Sotra. As the helicopter filled with water, Espen took a breath from the small remaining air pocket, established emergency breathing air, and escaped through an emergency exit. Outside, he was met with freezing water, winds of nearly 40 knots, and waves reaching 4–6 meters. Despite numb hands, he managed to locate the emergency beacon in his vest and activate it.

In the pitch-black darkness, Espen heard shouting. He swam toward the voices and found three crewmembers. Taking charge of the situation, Espen tethered the group together using the buddy lines on their vests. From the water, he could see the lights of Sotra 4 nautical miles away.

To prevent hypothermia, Espen encouraged the group to start swimming. While the effort couldn’t bring them to shore, it helped maintain their body heat. One of the crew members, however, began showing signs of hypothermia—confusion, incoherent speech, and apathy. As an experienced rescue swimmer, Espen recognized the danger and kept motivating the group to stay active. By this point, his own hands were so numb he could only perform gross motor movements, and the pain was excruciating.

After 45 minutes in the icy water, Espen and the group were found by a rescue helicopter from Sola. Once onboard, Espen continued performing life-saving measures.

With great support from his colleagues, Espen Hammer Wibe was pleasantly surprised with the award at Bristow’s premises on December 12, 2024.