China's oil drilling platform accident traps 34 people

A drilling platform on the East China Sea leaned on a 45 degree angle to the sea at 11 p.m. on Tuesday. Two people fell into water and the remaining 34 were trapped on the platform.

The Ministry of Transport has sent rescue teams to the site.

The platform in distress is the No. 3 drilling platform of Shengli Oilfield in Dongying, Shandong Province. It locates some five nautical miles to the coast where the depth of water is seven meters.

Strong wind prevented rescue boats from docking at the platform. Two helicopters were searching for the two people who fell into water, said Zhai Jiugang, an official with the China Marine Search and Rescue Center.

The valve of the oil rig had been shut down and the 34 people on the platform are safe, according to the management of Shengli Oilfield.

Source:Xinhua