The Bond aircraft was returning from a BP-operated oil platform just before 2pm when it went down 35 miles off the Aberdeenshire coast.
Police later said eight bodies had been found, with the eight others on board missing.
In a statement, Grampian Police said: “We can confirm that eight bodies haven been recovered from the North Sea after a helicopter came down around 35 miles off the coast of Crimond.
“The remaining eight persons are unaccounted for.”
Aberdeen Coastguard was co-ordinating the search and rescue operation, which includes two RAF helicopters and a Nimrod.
BP said the Bond Super Puma helicopter was carrying 14 passengers and two crew from its Miller platform some 165 miles offshore.
Just a month after a fatal Canadian offshore helicopter crash.
I haven't been on helicopter in about 7 years, and don't intend to again...