Update: 7 workers in intensive care after Saipem vessel blast in Caspian Sea

Of the fourteen offshore workers injured this week in the “Israfil Huseynov” vessel fire in the Caspian Sea, off Azerbaijan, seven are still in intensive care due to the burns suffered.

Following initial reports, Italy’s Saipem, which operates the “Israfil Huseynov”, issued a public statement saying the explosion had occurred on Wednesday evening aboard the vessel tasked with pipelaying work at the Shah Deniz II project.

Saipem further said that in the early hours of Thursday, the fourteen people “involved in the accident,” all employees of the Saipem Group, were transported to the hospital.

The incident was related to maintenance operations on an item of equipment during pipe-laying activities, Saipem said.

“Seven of the fourteen injured are in intensive care due to the burns suffered. The injured people are of Italian, English, Azerbaijani, Romanian, Malaysian, and Croatian nationality,” Saipem said.

“In expressing its sympathy to the employees and their families, Saipem will continue to ensure the immediate repatriation of those who have suffered the least serious injuries and the transfer of the other injured people to specialized medical centers,” Saipem added.

“Israfil Huseynov” is a pipe-laying barge owned by Caspian Marine Services. The vessel was built in 1988 in Mantyluoto, Finland.

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