Nine rescued from burning drilling rig near Sabine Pass, Texas

US Coast Guard personnel rescued nine people from a rig on fire near Sabine Pass, Texas, on Thursday, February 24.

Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders received a notification at 12:51 local time from the dredger Ohio that Pride Wisconsin, a mobile offshore drilling unit, was on fire in Sabine Pass and had nine people aboard.

Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and launched a Coast Guard Station Sabine Pass Response Boat–Medium crew and an Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew to assist. The Port Arthur Fire Department and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office also responded, all under the coordination of the Sector Houston-Galveston command center personnel.

The Dolphin crew arrived on-scene, lowered a rescue swimmer, and began hoisting the crewmembers. The helicopter crew then transported all nine crewmembers to a nearby rig that was accessible by land, allowing the survivors to meet with emergency medical services personnel onshore.

The coast guard said no injuries were reported and there are no signs of pollution at this time.

The cause of the incident is under investigation.