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More than 900 striking North Sea divers and support staff accepted a pay offer from employers, a union said on Friday, ending a 10-day strike that had raised concern about disruptions to oil output.

The National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers (RMT) said a large majority accepted the deal that will increase current pay rates by 44.7 percent in the next two years.

"By any standard this is a tremendous victory for a group of workers who have displayed grit, determination and complete solidarity in their campaign to win a fair pay increase," RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said.

The divers will begin returning to work immediately, the union said. Employers welcomed the end of the strike. yes' vote," the Committee of Employer Signatories to the Offshore Diving Industry Agreement said in a statement.

The RMT said 84 percent, on an 80 percent turnout, had voted to accept the pay deal.

Employers had offered a three-year package that came to a rise of 37 percent. Divers had asked for a 50 percent rise this year, despite the RMT urging them to accept the 37 percent offer.

The RMT said divers were carrying out probably the most dangerous job in the North Sea, working on wells and pipelines at depths of several hundred feet.

A spokeswoman for UKOOA, which represents UK oil and gas producers, said the strike did not affect output.

"The strike had no impact on production and limited impact across industry operations," she said.

The North Sea is one of the world's biggest sources of oil outside of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries and a prolonged strike could have threatened oil and gas supplies.

Source - The Scotsman