Black Elk Energy Tuesday night suspended the search for the body of a second oil rig worker who is missing and presumed dead following an explosion last week on a platform the company owns in the Gulf of Mexico.
http://www.blackelkenergy.com/temp-docs/Statement-20-November-12.pdf
Black Elk posted a statement on its website.
“Based on the advice and counsel of search rescue experts who have been engaged in this effort since the outset, Black Elk Energy Offshore Operations LLC announced Tuesday evening it will suspend formal search and rescue efforts after more than 100 hours,” the company said.
“In conducting a thorough and robust search effort, Black Elk worked closely with state and federal agencies including Plaquemines Parish, U.S. Coast Guard, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement as well as private industry experts,” it said.
“The search encompassed more than 1,400 square miles of Gulf waters through the efforts of three commercial dive boats; search and rescue dogs; beach and near shore searches and several helicopter companies that fly in support of surface search efforts,” Black Elk said. ” We also completed a perimeter search surrounding the platforms up to and extending 150’ outward.”
In closing, the company said, “We will continue to remain focused on the victims and their families, including those injured in the incident. An official investigation is underway and we will continue to cooperate with all authorities as this process develops.”
On Saturday evening the body of one missing oil worker was recovered.
“The U.S. Coast Guard transported the individual to its station in Grand Isle, La.,” Black Elk said.”The local fire chief and ambulance service received the body around11:45 pm. The body was taken to the corners office in Jefferson Parish.”
http://www.blackelkenergy.com/temp-docs/Black-Elk-Expanding-Search-for-Missing-Worker.pdf
The accident remains under investigation. According to The Wall Street Journal, 14 of the 22 of the workers on Black Elk’s platform were actually employees of Grand Ilse Shipyard Inc. And The Journal reported that last year Grand Isle Shipyard workers from the Philippines filed suit against the company.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323622904578129562045592532.html
In the lawsuit, the Filipino workers alleged that Grand Isle recruited them from their home country and then overworked them, underpaid them and threatened to deport them, according to The Journal. Some of the workers injured last week on Black Elk’s platform were Filipino.