Rig Blast in US Gulf of Mexico

Coast Guard calls it a catastrophic event as seven are critically injured and 11 workers are missing.

Coast Guard reported that of the 126 workers on the Transocean “DEEPWATER HORIZON” 115 workers are accounted for and 17 were transported by air for medical treatment from the rig. Another 94 people were taken to shore with no major injuries and four more were transferred to another vessel, according to the Coast Guard. The rig was located approximately 41 miles offshore Louisiana on Mississippi Canyon block 252.

The Coast Guard sent helicopters from New Orleans and Mobile to assist in the evacuation of the workers as well as dispatching a cutter to the scene.

Transocean is the world’s largest drilling operator with about 140 offshore drilling units, had leased the rig to BP Exploration & Production. The two companies and the Coast Guard have sent teams to assist the in emergency operations.

Minerals Management Service (MMS) said that in 2009 there were about 39 fires or explosions were reported in the offshore of the Gulf of Mexico. Currently, there are about 55 rigs operating in the Gulf.