The family of a Scottish oil worker killed in a helicopter crash off Norway say they have been left "devastated".

Iain Stuart, 41, from Laurencekirk, was a passenger on the aircraft when it crashed near the city of Bergen on Friday.

The Super Puma was carrying two crew and 11 passengers from the Gullfaks B oil field 74 miles off the Norwegian coast when it crashed on its way to Flesland Airport.

On Sunday it emerged that the helicopter had showed signs of a technical fault several days before the tragedy.

In a statement released through Police Scotland, Mr Stuart's family said: "We as a family are devastated at the loss of Iain in Friday's tragic helicopter crash in Norway.

"Iain was a loving husband and devoted father to his two children and as a family we are heartbroken. He was a caring son, brother, uncle and friend to many.

"We are appreciative of all the messages of support and kind thoughts.

"We now ask, as a family, that we are allowed some privacy at this difficult and sad time to grieve and come to terms with our loss."

Mr Stuart was also remembered at a church service in his home town of Laurencekirk, Aberdeenshire on Sunday. The flag at his golf club in Brechin was lowered to half mast, while the First Minister said Mr Stuart's death would be felt deeply throughout the industry.

Nicola Sturgeon said: "The Scottish Government has learned that Iain Stuart from Aberdeenshire was among those who died in the Super Puma crash on Friday near the city of Bergen, Norway.

"An incident such as this is felt deeply throughout the oil and gas sector especially those who work round the clock in the North Sea.

"Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Iain Stuart, and of the other 12 people who were killed in this tragic accident.

"We will remain in contact with the Foreign Commonwealth Office, who are liaising with Police Scotland to offer help and support to the family at this sad time."

Police Scotland said they were helping Norwegian authorities deal with the aftermath of the crash.

It was revealed that the same helicopter had showed signs of faults several days before the crash, returning to base on Tuesday after a warning light indicated possible technical trouble.

The aircraft's operators, CHC, said they changed components on the helicopter before it was cleared to fly again on Wednesday. It completed six flights successfully on Thursday.

A team of UK crash investigators has flown out to the site and are assisting Norwegian colleagues with their investigation.

A spokeswoman for CHC said the aircraft returned to base on Tuesday, April 26.

She said: "The pilot had a warning light and returned to Flesland [Airport] according to procedure.

"At Flesland the helicopter was inspected, according to procedure, and a part was replaced. "On Wednesday the helicopter was taken on a test flight, where the warning light reappeared, the helicopter returned to base, changed another component, the next test drive was completed without any warning light.

"On Thursday, the aircraft completed six commercial flights, all without any indication of problems. "None of the changed parts were physically connected to rotor or gearbox."

She continued: "These Returns to Base (RTBs) are essential for flight safety and part of operating in a highly regulated industry. Sometimes an RTB can be for technical issues, other times it is much more mundane.

"At all times, CHC has met or exceeded the requirements of our regulatory authorities and our customers, and continues to offer a compliant service.

"Speculation about the cause of the accident is unhelpful and we must also be careful to respect the feelings of the families who perished in the tragic events of Bergen."