A number of workers have been airlifted from a North Sea oil platform after a fire broke out on Sunday morning, according to British media reports.
The first 44 of the 159 crew members on board the Thistle Alpha platform, located 120 miles northeast of Sumburgh in the Shetland Isles, had already been airlifted to safety before 10:00 GMT, an Aberdeen Coastguard spokesman said, adding that the entire crew is due to be taken from the platform later.
The platform is operated by Swedish-based Lundin Petroleum, which is involved in oil exploration and production across the globe.
A spokesman for the Royal Air Force (RAF) said that seven rescue helicopters have been scrambled to the platform and there were currently no reports of casualties.
Helicopters from the RAF, coastguard and other rigs in the area were sent to the scene along with two Norwegian helicopters, he said.
The North Sea platform reported a "very serious" fire at 0830 GMT Sunday, said the RAF spokesman, who also said the cause of the fire was still unknown.
The rescue operation is being coordinated by Aberdeen Coastguard.
Source: Xinhua
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