Drifting rig sinks

Press, 24 October 1980, Page 6

Drifting rig sinks

NZPA Kodiak, Alaska A $46 million offshore drilling rig buffeted by stormy seas for nearly a week capsized and sank early I yesterday in the North Pacific but apparently did- not (leak any oil, the United (States Coast Guard has said, i The rig’s 18 crewmen, | evacuated earlier this week ito the Coast Guard cutter Boutwell, were standing by to reboard the platform an'd refuel pumps in its leaking ballast tanks when it went down in about 5000 m of

water, the Coast Guard said. The rig, the San Prince, had been under tow from Alaska to the West African nation of the Ivory Coast,

I high seas and wind last week knocked loose its helicopter pad, which broke the tow line. Crews were unable to rig a new line until Saturday. The Dan Prince, owned by Scott Shipping of Monrovia. Liberia, developed cracks after the crew evacuated and pumps left running to drain the ballast tanks ran out of fuel early yesterday. Stormv weather prevented : a reboarding of the platform to refuel the pumps, ri . The Boutwell stood by

after the rig sank because it reportedly carried 1500 barrels of fuel oil. , A Coast Guard spokesman said the rig’s crew would return to Kodiak with the Boutwell at the week-end.