New Orleans, April 23: An oil platform that burned for 36 hours after a massive explosion sank into the Gulf of Mexico, the US Coast Guard said.
Crews searched by air and water for 11 workers still missing from the Deepwater Horizon, though one relative said family members have been told it’s unlikely anyone survived Tuesday night’s blast.
Supply vessels had been shooting water into the rig try to control the flames enough to keep it afloat, but it sank last morning, Coast Guard Petty Officer Katherine McNamara said. The fire finally went out once the rig sank.
The rig is owned by Transocean, which is under contract to oil giant BP. It was doing exploratory drilling about 80 kilometres off the coast of Louisiana.
Rescue crews have covered the 5,025-square-kilometre search area by air 12 times and by boat five times.
–PTI