Oil rig adrift in 25ft Noth Sea waves

A drilling rig with 71 crew broke from its tow and was adrift in the North Sea today, but all on board were in ‘‘good condition,’’ the Norwegian state oil company said.

The Byford Dolphin rig was on its way to plug a well when it broke from its tow at about 0630 GMT in bad weather, with snow flurries and waves of up to 25 feet, Statoil said.

‘‘All 71 crew on board are in good condition, and the position is not considered critical,’’ the company said.

Rescue crews were working to get new towlines on board the rig.

Statoil said there was little chance of collision with nearby installations, and several ships and helicopters were on stand-by in case more help was needed.

The rig, which has its own propulsion machinery, was moving under control at a speed of 1.5 mph between the Draugen and Njord platforms.