Jack-up Rig Sinks Offshore Russia. 4 Dead, 50 Missing

Russian International News Agency (RIA Novosti) reported today that an oil rig has sunk off the coast of Russia’s far eastern Sakhalin Island.

The jack-up rig, named Kolskaya, overturned during the towing operations and sunk in the icy Ohotsk Sea.

Rescue workers have recovered four bodies, and 50 more crew members have been considered missing or dead.

RIANovosti quoted local emergency agency as saying that the probable cause of the accident was violation of safety rules during the towing operations combined with disregarding of severe weather conditions.

The forecasts are not very optimistic about the faith of the 50 people missing because the area has been hit by a severe storm with waves up to four meters high,  Al Jazeera said on its website.

According to news agencies the rig had completed exploration operations for Gazprom off the coast of Kamchatka and was on its way to its base in Kholmsk.

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Source: Offshore Energy Today Staff, December 18, 2011