Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Map
Only a few months after the tragic oil rig explosion that happened on the Deepwater Horizon platform another oil rig has now suffered an explosion in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Mariner Energy platform which is situated 80 miles south of Vermillion Bay and just west of the Deepwater Horizon site was not in the process of oil or gas production, according to the Department of Homeland Security, however caught fire and exploded with a blast so severe that it caused 13 people to be thrown into the Gulf of Mexico waters.
A report of the explosion was made at 0930 hours local time by a helicopter company and immediate action was taken to send boats, helicopters and aircraft to the incident scene.
The local Coast Guard said that all the 13 workers that had been thrown into the water had been rescued and only one was reported to have been injured.
Although there has been no oil leakages or pollution caused by the oil rig explosion preparation for response to such a situation had already been prepared by the federal government according to Robert Gibbs who is a spokesman for the White House.
