WATCH: Nine oil workers rescued from burning rig – gallery

The U.S. Coast Guard has rescued nine oil workers trapped on a burning jack-up rig near Sabine Pass, Texas.

On Thursday, 24 February 2022, a Coast Guard Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin aircrew conducted a search and rescue operation for crew members aboard a rig on fire in Sabine Pass, Texas. The Port Arthur Fire Department and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office also responded.

According to the Coast Guard, all nine people aboard the rig were rescued with no reported injuries. Local media reports indicate that the rig in question is the Pride Wisconsin. The rig was previously owned by Pride International before the company was acquired in 2011 by Ensco who sold it in the first half of 2014 together with Ensco 69 for net proceeds of $32.2 million and a pre-tax gain of $23.6 million. Ensco is now known as Valaris following a merger with Rowan in 2019.

“Thanks to the phenomenal teamwork and coordination by everyone involved, nine lives were saved,” said Capt. Keith M. Donohue, search and rescue mission coordinator for the case. “Coast Guard crews and personnel train year-round for life-saving situations like this and we take great pleasure in knowing everyone was able to go home safely.”

The cause of the incident on the rig is still unknown and the investigation will be conducted by relevant authorities.

The U.S. Coast Guard’s video from the rescue operation is available here.