GRAND ISLE, La. — An offshore oil platform exploded and was burning Thursday in the Gulf of Mexico about 100 miles off the Louisiana coast. All 13 workers were rescued from the water, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
The explosion aboard the platform, owned by Mariner Energy, occurred west of the site of the April offshore rig blast that caused the massive BP oil spill.
Patrick Cassidy, a spokesman for Mariner Energy, told CNBC that there does not appear to be any oil leaking.
The Coast Guard said the explosion was reported by a commercial helicopter flying over the site around 9 a.m. CDT.
All 13 workers at the platform were plucked from the water by a supply boat and taken to another platform where they were waiting to be picked up by the Coast Guard, the agency said.
"Thirteen people were seen huddled together in the water wearing gumby suits or immersion suits, water protection suits, so we were able to confirm that all people were accounted for," Coast Guard spokesman Chief Petty Officer John Edwards said.
Oil platform explodes off La. coast - U.S. news - Life - msnbc.com