Rig explodes in gulf, Coast Guard responds - Military News | News From Afghanistan, Iraq And Around The World - Military Times

Rig explodes in gulf, Coast Guard responds

The Coast Guard has confirmed an oil rig has exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, 80 miles off the coast of Louisiana and that 13 workers from the rig have been rescued from the water.

The rig, Vermilion 380, is operated by Mariner Energy.

Two HC-144A Ocean Sentry aircraft, four cutters and seven MH-65C Dolphin helicopter were dispatched to the scene a Coast Guard District 8 spokesperson said Thursday. The first Coast Guard assets were on the scene by 12:30 p.m.

The Coast Guard received the initial report of the explosion at 9:30 a.m., the service said.

The explosion comes after the April 20 Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion and sinking that led to the largest oil spill in the nation’s history.

The Coast Guard said two of the helicopters and one plane had been diverted from the Deepwater Horizon Incident Command Post to respond to the Vermilion 380 explosion.

CNN reported one of the rig’s workers was injured, but the Coast Guard could not confirm the workers’ conditions.

The cutters heading to the rescue site are the Decisive, Harry Claiborne, Skipjack and Manta.