Offshore staff

OSLO, Norway --The stricken support vessel Bourbon Dolphin sank in the northern North Sea shortly after salvage operations began.

Following an accident last Thursday, which claimed the lives of eight crew members, Bourbon had commissioned Smit Salvage to recover the vessel. The salvage team included two tugs and four divers.

The program started midday April 15, but after the vessel had been disconnected from the rig (the connection had led to the accident), bad weather led to the vessel becoming de-stabilized and sinking before towage was possible. The teams have since left the zone, except for one tug that is remaining on station to monitor the situation.

4/16/2007