Azerbaijani platform head discloses incident details

The fire broke out in the northern part of the platform, Allahverdi Mammadov, the head of the platform at the Guneshli field, said.

"As a result of storm, an underwater gas pipeline of high pressure was damaged,” he told Trend. “At the same moment, a distress call was made. All oil workers on the platform put on life jackets and got into the boats. There were 27 people in our boat. We knew nothing about the fate of those who were in the second boat. "

The ignition started on Dec.4 at the platform No.10 of this field, where the Azerbaijani SOCAR company produces oil and gas through its own funds.

SOCAR said that the fire at the platform was caused by the windstorm, which damaged a gas line.

Some 32 people have been rescued, while 30 people are considered missing.

/By Trend/