Survivors of collapse

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34131, 19 April 1976, Page 13

Survivors of collapse

(N.Z. Press Assn —Copyright) PORT ARANSAS. (Texas), April 18. Four survivors of the collapse of an oil-drilling rig about 40 miles off the Texas coast sit in ; hospital in Port Aransas. Thirteen of the 35 men on the piatform died when an inflatable lifeboat-l:ke survival capsule turned turtle in the stormy Gulf of Mexico. Twenty-two others aboard the giant rig, under tow in gale force winds and heavy seas, survived the accident. Seven were detained in hospital. Most of the survivors rode safely aboard another capsule that stabilised after launching. They were picked up bv an oil survey ship. The disabled capsule was recovered bv the aircraft carrier, U.S.S. Lexington. As the Lexington hauled the capsule on to the flight deck, four bodies fell out of a hatch into the sea, according to a Coast Guard spokesman, Mr Dave Cipra. They wer-> recovered by divers. Nine bodies were found inside. Because of conflicting reports of the number — 35 or 36 — aboard the rig, a search continued for another man. “The man who knew exactly how many were aboard was in the capsule,” said Mr Cipra. The seven survivors managed to free themselves from the disabled craft, shaped like a saucer, and swam to nearbv tugs. The rig’s skipper jumped into the water as the platform collapsed and was rescued by a navy helicopter.