An offshore oil platform near Mumbai was destroyed in a big fire Wednesday afternoon, leaving 250 workers missing, Indo-Asian News Service reported from Mumbai.

Coast Guard helicopters rescued 150 of the 400 workers who were working on the platform when the fire broke out, local officials said.

The workers had jumped into the sea after leaping flames engulfed the platform.

The offshore oil platform, belonging to the Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) Bombay High oil field, was caught fire around 4 to 4:30 p.m. after an oil rig anchored to the platform collided with it,officials said.

The accident might be caused by the choppy sea and stormy situation caused by the heavy and relentless rains lashing the Maharashtra coast.

"The platform has been completely destroyed while a service vehicle and rig that were nearby also caught fire," Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar told a press conference in Delhi.

ONGC chief Subir Raha said they have sought help from the CoastGuard and Indian Navy. Six navy vessels and two Coast Guard vessel also rushed to the spot.

Bombay High is located about 160 km off Mumbai and accounts forbetween 30-50 percent of India's domestic oil production.

Source: Xinhua