Dr Michael Bull, whose son was on board, said the helicopter hit the water and turned over
The bodies of three people missing after a helicopter crash off Shetland have been recovered, police have said.
Fourteen people were rescued and Police Scotland confirmed three were found dead and one is still unaccounted for.
Coxswain Bruce Leask, a lifeboat crewman, said two bodies were recovered by a lifeboat after being spotted in the water from a rescue helicopter.
The Super Puma L2 helicopter crashed west of Sumburgh Airport at about 18:20 BST on Friday.
The ditched helicopter was found broken into several pieces up against the face of rocks.
Mr Leask said the Lerwick lifeboat had managed to tow the wreckage off the rocks.
A rope has been attached and the helicopter is being held in the shelter of Horse Island until a recovery vessel arrives.
The helicopter, carrying 16 passengers and two crew from the Borgsten Dolphin oil platform in the North Sea, was operated by CHC for Total, taking people to and from oil and gas platforms.
Rescue helicopters and two lifeboats were sent to the scene, where they were joined by a ferry and a cargo ship.
Mr Leask said: "The last we saw, the helicopter was quite badly broken up; it's been pounding against the rocks.
"Difficult to say how many pieces it was in but it was upside down and certainly two, possibly three sections."
'Lost power'Earlier, RNLI rescue co-ordinator Jim Nicholson told the BBC that the ditched helicopter had been in a " fairly inaccessible position... near the cliffs", with weather in the area not "particularly good".
A rescue helicopter flew nine people into Lerwick. One was taken off by stretcher and the rest walked off the flight.
Jim Nicholson, rescue co-ordinator for the RNLI, speaks to the BBC as footage shows the rescue operation taking place
A CHC spokesman said: "We can confirm that an L2 aircraft has landed in the water, approximately two miles west of Sumburgh.
"The aircraft was on approach to Sumburgh Airport at approximately 6.20pm when contact was lost with air traffic control."
Michael Bull, whose son Samuel was rescued, said: "We understand he was on his way back from a rig and the helicopter lost power suddenly and immediately ditched into the water.
"He managed to escape straight away because he was right by an exit and I understand soon afterwards that the helicopter turned over."
Investigation teamPolice Scotland said a major incident had been declared.
The coastguard initially said 15 people had been taken to Gilbert Bain Hospital in Lerwick, but police have said the number was actually 14.
Northlink Ferries said one of its vessels from Shetland had been diverted to help the rescue effort.
The Department for Transport said the Air Accidents Investigation Branch had sent a team to the scene.
Last year, Super Puma helicopters crashed in two incidents, one off Aberdeen and another off Shetland, but these involved the EC 225 variety of the aircraft.
All passengers and crew were rescued in both incidents which were found to have been caused by gearbox problems.
Super Puma EC 225s were grounded following the crashes but were given the go-ahead to resume flying again earlier this month.
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