Bristow Group Files for Chapter 11 Protection
Helicopter transportation services company Bristow Group Inc. filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Saturday after reaching a deal with senior bondholders on a plan to slash its debt load, the Wall Street Journal reported. The Houston-based company, which provides helicopter transport to offshore oil and gas drillers and has business units focused on search, rescue and aircraft-support services, said it has the support of the “overwhelming majority” of its parent company senior secured bondholders on the terms of a restructuring-support pact outlining the terms of its debt-cutting plan. Bristow said that it has lined up a $75 million bankruptcy loan to fund its business without interruption during the chapter 11 case. The bondholders backing the restructuring lent the company another $75 million before the chapter 11 filing, the company said.
