At least 11 workers sought after oil rig explosion

Associated Press:
By KEVIN McGILL (AP) – 1 hour ago

NEW ORLEANS — Helicopters, ships and an airplane searched waters off Louisiana's coast Wednesday for at least 11 workers missing after an explosion and fire that left an offshore drilling platform tilting in the Gulf of Mexico.

Most of the 126 people were believed to have escaped safely after the explosion on the rig Deepwater Horizon at about 10 p.m. Tuesday, Coast Guard Senior Chief Petty Officer Mike O'Berry said. The rig, about 52 miles southeast of Venice on Louisiana's tip, was listing about 10 degrees and still burning Wednesday morning.

"It's burning pretty good and there's no estimate on when the fire will be put out," O'Berry said.

Seven workers were reported critically injured, Coast Guard Lt. Sue Kerver said. Two were taken to a trauma center in Mobile, Ala., where there is a burn unit, but the nature of their injuries was unclear, she said. At least two were taken to a suburban New Orleans hospital.

O'Berry said many workers who escaped the rig were being brought to land on a workboat while authorities searched the Gulf of Mexico for any signs of lifeboats.

"We're hoping everyone's in a life raft," he said.

The rig was drilling but was not in production, according to Greg Panagos, spokesman for its owner, Transocean Ltd., in Houston. The rig was under contract to BP PLC. BP spokesman Darren Beaubo said all BP personnel were safe but he didn't know how many BP workers had been on the rig.

Kerver said the Coast Guard and the Minerals Management Service will work together to investigate possible causes of the accident. More>>>