Norway helicopter crash: At least 11 feared dead including British national in aviation disaster near Bergen

Rescue forces work at the shore west of Bergen, Norway after a helicopter transporting 13 workers from an offshore oil field in the North Sea crashed off on 29 April, 2016 AFP/Getty Images

Several bodies have been found after a helicopter carrying at least 13 people crashed off the west coast of Norway, near the city of Bergen.

Eleven people have been found dead, the Aftenbladet newspaper reports. Two others are missing.

A British national, an Italian and 11 Norwegians were reportedly on board the helicopter when it crashed.

A search and rescue vessel patrols off the island of Turoey, near Bergen, Norway, as emergency workers on the shoreline attend the scene after a helicopter crashed believed to be have 13 people aboard, Friday 29 April, 2016 (AP)

Police spokesman Morten Kronen said the helicopter "totally smashed" as it hit the island of Turoey.

There were "reports of an explosion and thick smoke" and people in the sea, he added. 

However, rescue officials told broadcaster NRK there was no sign of any survivors.

Images on Norwegian media showed huge billows of smoke from the crash site.

The helicopter, a Eurocopter 225, was transporting workers from the Gullfaks north sea oil platform to Bergen.

Statoil, the company that owns the platform, have temporarily grounded all Eurocopter 225 helicopters.

Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg wrote on Twitter about the "horrifying reports" and said she was being kept informed about the rescue work.