All 19 people on board a helicopter that ditched in the North Sea are safe and well, the coastguard has said.

The CHC helicopter was carrying an oil-change crew from Aberdeen to a rig 86 miles north-west of Shetland when it ditched at around 3.30pm yesterday.

Three RNLI lifeboats were launched from Kirkwall in Orkney and Aith and Lerwick in Shetland, and a rescue craft was also sent from the Nord Nightingale vessel which was close to the scene, about 32 miles south-west of Shetland.

Rescue helicopters from the coastguard, RAF Lossiemouth and Bond were also launched and all 19 people were found safe.

No-one was injured in the ditching and those on board were taken by helicopter to Kirkwall in Orkney, the coastguard said.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "We are aware that a helicopter has ditched in the North Sea, south of Sumburgh. And we understand that all 19 people on board are now safe and well following the dispatch of emergency services to the site. Scottish ministers are being kept updated on the situation and we will release further information when it becomes known."

A spokesman for the coastguard said the weather in the area was good.

"It has been quite calm today and that has been favourable in terms of getting the rescue crews to the scene quickly."

It is understood the helicopter made a "controlled ditching" into the sea.

A statement from CHC Helicopter said: "We can confirm that there has been an incident involving one of our aircraft in the North Sea, approximately 32 miles south-west of Shetland.

"Exact details of the incident are not yet known."