Important News from Your Texas Accident Lawyer
Deadly accident at sea: Storm capsizes Russian oil rig-4 dead, 49 lost
Posted on Dec 19, 2011
Our offshore platform accident attorneys provide news of a deadly accident at sea involving a Russian oil rig to illustrate the substantial dangers faced by offshore platform workers. An icebreaker ship and a towboat were pulling Russia's Kolskaya floating oil rig to Sakhalin Island after it ended its drilling mission. Rough weather from a storm damaged two of the air tanks that give buoyancy to the oil rig, and it capsized on Sunday in about 20 minutes in the Sea of Okhotsk about 200 kilometers off of Sakhalin Island. The storm brought waves up to 6 meters high and winds of 70 kph.
Several ships and airborne vehicles joined the towboat and icebreaker ship in the search efforts. Rescuers managed to save 14 of the 67 people that had been aboard the rig when it sank. Reports say that these 14 people suffered cold exposure but no injuries. 4 other people have been found dead from the accident at sea. Rescuers continued their search efforts as night fell, but feared that no further victims would be found alive.
A Russian transport plane has been sent to the location with rafts that could be dropped to victims spotted in the water. Reportedly, all of those on board the oil rig were wearing diving suits and life vests that could be expected to keep them afloat in the water. The towboat had to abandon the search effort as it began to take on water from a leak near the engine compartment.
The Kolskaya oil rig, one of Russia's largest such rigs, capsized as helicopters were preparing to evacuate the 14 passengers and 53 crewmembers that were on the rig due to unsafe conditions engendered by the storm. The oil rig, built in 1985, was next due to begin drilling operations off the coast of Vietnam.
News accounts of the oil rig accident state that the Kolskaya rig was almost out of fuel, and that the fuel was in sealed tanks. So sinking of the oil rig should pose little risk to the environment. Accident investigators believe it likely that the accident resulted from violation of safety regulations governing transportation of the rig during stormy weather. They plan to interview survivors of the accident for additional details when practicable.
The offshore platform accident attorneys at Denena & Points are saddened by the heavy losses from the Kolskaya accident. We wish rescuers success in finding the 49 currently missing crewmen and passengers alive. Our thoughts and prayers are with those currently recovering from the traumatic accident. We condole with the family and friends of those lost at sea in this deadly accident.
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