Search continues for missing as fire is not yet extinguished on Guneshli platform

The fates of 29 missing oil workers after the fire on the platform in the Guneshli oil field still remain unknown, the chief engineer of SOCAR’s Azneft production association, Balamirza Aliragimov, said.

Aliragimov added that some lifejackets have been found on the Buzovna township coast, but those turned out to be fishermen's jackets.

According to the chief engineer,  waves reaching 3.5 meters are hampering firefighters extinguishing the fire. Officials of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the State Border Guard Service and SOCAR are currently discussing further activities, taking into account the wind speeds and direction.

"Searches will start on platform №501 and will continue on other trestles. Meanwhile, helicopters of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and other structures have started searches. Seven boats, including two fireboats of the Caspian Shipping Company, continued the work on extinguishing the fire on the Guneshli-10 platform. Today’s weather conditions allow us to carry out work both with boats and helicopters. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to find the missing oil workers," Trend cited Aliragimov as saying.

He added that the search work is being coordinated at government level with the Caspian Sea states. "All information from these countries is received by the State Border Guard Service and Ministry of Emergency Situations of Azerbaijan. Once we receive information about the missing, we will react appropriately," the chief engineer said.

Aliragimov said that daily production on the platform amounted to 900 tons of oil and 1.8 million cubic meters of gas.