Coast Guard Helicopter Rescues Crew From Imperiled Shell Arctic Drilling Rig

Here is a short video released late Saturday by the U.S. Coast Guard, showing part of the helicopter rescue of crewmen from the drilling platform Kulluk. The rig has been imperiled by multiple simultaneous engine failures aboard the oceangoing tug Aiviq, which was towing the rig from Dutch Harbor, Alaska to Puget Sound, for modifications, repairs and winter berthing. 

 

Shown in the video are the Kulluk – the round vessel with a tall central tower, the Nanuq – the long, slender vessel, and the Aiviq – the vessel with the helicopter platform over its bow.  The tug Guardsman, not shown in the video, is plotted on MarineTraffic.com as being close by.  All four vessels haven’t moved much since they grouped together Saturday morning. Rather than get close to the shore and seek shelter from the ongoing major winter storm, as they had planned Saturday, they have decided to put as many miles as possible between the rig and the rocks.
Here’s the  Alaska news report