UK: All clear after bomb alert shuts down UK gas rig

Record ID: 343846

  • Title: UK: All clear after bomb alert shuts down UK gas rig
  • Date: 11th February 2008
  • Summary: (W4) ABERDEEN HELIPORT, ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FEBRUARY 10, 2008) (REUTERS) HELICOPTER
  • Embargoed: 26th February 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Energy
  • Reuters ID: LVA2Y0SP3ESOP2KMF9BTS6Z4U3QP
  • Story Text: UK gas rig production shut down while 160 workers evacuated from North Sea platform after a bomb alert.
    The operator of one of Britain's biggest gas fields shut down production and evacuated more than 160 workers from a North Sea platform on Sunday (February 10) , after a suspicious object sparked a full-scale security alert.
    About 14 military and civilian helicopters and a Nimrod surveillance aircraft took part in an operation to evacuate workers from the Safe Scandinavia platform.
    James Cockerel was a winch operator onboard rescue helicopter 102 sent to the oil rig.

    "We were informed by Shetland coast guard that there was an immediate down man of a accommodation vessel called the Safe Scandinavia with 711 persons on board. There had been a bomb threat. So we got airborne, approximately 150 miles from here. En route we were advised several other aircraft were about to arrive on scene," he said.
    Cockerel added that his helicopter was not used in the rescue operation but diverted to a nearby platform.
    The operation began after a worker reported a "possible suspicious device" on the platform, the gas field's operator said. Officials later said the scare at the Britannia gas field turned out to be a false alarm.
    Safe Scandinavia is a "floating hotel" for around 500 workers, linked by a bridge to the Britannia gas platform, 210 km (130 miles) northeast of the Scottish city of Aberdeen.
    Production from the Britannia field was shut down as a precaution following the security alert, said Muriel Roberts, a spokeswoman for the operating company.
    The helicopters flew 161 workers to neighbouring platforms before the evacuation was halted and the workers returned to the Safe Scandinavia, she said.
    Security expert, David Capitanchik said political background checks on employees on oil rigs should be carried out.

    "So dangerous on a platform if somebody were to actually to bring out, say a suicide bomber, were to wrap a bomb and detonate themselves on a platform that is so dangerous I think that probably something needs to be done to check on the political background of the people who are being employed," he said.
    Police said they were investigating the incident but did not consider it terrorism-related. As part of their inquiry, they said they were making arrangements for a 23-year-old British woman to be brought to shore.
    A police spokeswoman said the incident had been "very quickly contained". Nobody had been arrested, she said.
    The Safe Scandinavia is owned and operated by Oslo-listed company ProSafe. No-one was immediately available for comment on the incident.
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