Azernews.Az

As of now it hasn’t been possible to find anyone from those missing after the fire at SOCAR’s offshore platform #10, SOCAR Vice-President Khalig Mammadov said on December 6 at a press conference.

He said that eight helicopters and vessels are involved in the search for those missing.

“The helicopters won’t be able to continue searches due to the darkness, but the vessels will be searching at night too,” said Mammadov.

He added that the fire-fighting at the platform is still continuing.

“Seven vessels and four helicopters of the State Border Service, four helicopters of the Emergency Situations Ministry, and the vessels of the Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company are involved in the searches,” added Mammadov.

SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev and the company’s managers are currently at the scene, he noted.

“Eight people injured in the accident on the platform are in the hospital, 22 people went home after medical treatment,” he said. The condition of patients is stable.”

“The vests were found in the sea, but people were not found,” he said. “A part of the lifeboat was also found.”

“The lifeboats were designed for 42 people,” he said. “There are food and water for four days. However, unfortunately, the boat crashed on the overpass.”

He also said that the compliance with the safety measures on the platform will be investigated by a special commission.

Mammadov also said that the assistance will be rendered to the families of those died, injured and missing people.

The fire broke out on the offshore platform #10 of SOCAR’s Gunashli field on December 4, after an underwater high-pressure gas pipeline was damaged in strong storm.

As many as 33 people have been rescued in a large-scale operation.

One person was found dead and his body was handed over to his relatives.

Some 29 people are considered missing.