Oil Sheen Spreading from Gulf Platform Explosion
From USA Today
An off-shore oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico exploded early Thursday, sending its crew of 13 scrambing into the water and creating a sheen of spilled oil.
The oil could be seen in a mile-long plume with a width of about 100 feet, Coast Guard Petty Officer Thomas Blue said. The slick was reported by the rig’s owner, Mariner Energy of Houston, and had not been confirmed by the Coast Guard, Blue said.
An oil industry vessel that was nearby plucked the crewmembers out of the water and brought them to a nearby platform, Blue said. Coast Guard helicopters were in the process of flying them to a hospital. One of the workers suffered a minor injury, Blue said.
