One of the North Sea helicopter crash victims was from the West Midlands, it has been revealed.

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond told the Scottish Parliament that names of the victims of "this terrible tragedy" would be released later on Thursday.

The First Minister said that eight of the victims came from north-east Scotland. Another came from Angus, one came from Dundee, one was from Dumfries, one from Cumbernauld, one from Liverpool, one from Norwich, one from the West Midlands, and one from Riga in Latvia.

The crash takes the death toll in North Sea aircraft accidents to more than 100 over the last 30 years, said Mr Salmond.

Mr Salmond said: "Eight bodies have been recovered following the accident while another eight remain missing and, we now must accept, presumed dead," said Mr Salmond.

"The names of the victims of this terrible tragedy are going to be released this afternoon.

"The Solicitor General has authorised the release now the next of kin have been informed.  We will find the personal impact will bear heaviest on families in the north-east of Scotland, but also on other parts of Scotland, the United Kingdom and further afield."