Workers evacuated from Norwegian offshore rig

Nearly 300 people were being evacuated today from a Norwegian offshore rig in the North Sea after two of 12 anchors holding the floating unit were damaged in a storm.

“There are no human lives in danger. This is a controlled evacuation,” said Inga Nyboe, a spokeswoman for Total Norge which owns the natural gas field where Port Reval rig was operating.

She said 286 workers would be evacuated by helicopter to the coastal city of Stavanger, about 140 miles away.

Thirty-eight workers would remain on the rig, which was being used to accommodate workers dismantling facilities at the Frigg natural gas field.

Nyboe said the two anchors were damaged by storm winds that swept the area.

The rig, built in 1976, is owned by Norwegian oil service company Awilco Offshore ASA.