Piper Alpha

[j.sabourn]

Today I received the paperwork I loaned out for entry into a monthly newsletter on the 6 July occurence , on checking all was there I got a copy of what our glorious media wrote under a sub heading in the Press and Journal on Friday 29 April 1989 under the Title of Skipper admits he didnt check vessel before leaving port. This was shortly before the Inquiry wound up . Those who have read my reply in my statement about this would realise my loathing of most aspects of Journalism and I put them in the same category of those who assume stolen identities and we all know a few of those dont we ? Trouble makers who have a different aim in life. They never reached the Editor but the staff member who was supposed to hand them over to him had organised the presentation and suitable presentation of such to next months Newsletter. I hope some dishonoured ex newspaper writer takes issue with my description of them in general and tries to take me to court. I have copies and proof of their inability to tell the truth in lots of cases and would love to see the rest of the world know about their incompetence. JS

[Peter Armitage]

'Dear Marian,
Would you kindly remind members of this site that on the night of 6th July thirty five years ago 167 poor souls died in the Piper Alpha disaster.
Two of the dead were Merchant Navy seamen who were engulfed by flames along with oilmen who they had put aboard their rescue craft.
Look after yourself my dear,
All the best from
John.'

Also Vernon I sent a request on behalf of FOURO to admin in May I think it was? - to say that John had forgotton his password and could someone please send him an invite. For whatever reason it didn't materialise so if you don't mind can I leave it with you. Thank you.

er,

The count should be much higher: 168 at least. One poor soul, a diver, who survived when many of his mates died, finally could not stand the pain several years later and took his own life. Those who survived Piper Alpha were all traumatised... and in days when they got no help.

It's interesting that no one seems to remember the 11 men who died on the Deepwater Horizon on 20 April 2010, when the BP Macondo well blew out; or those men and women who survived. Very sad.

[j.sabourn]

#12. Well I can assure you if I had been present at the Deepwater Horizon in 2010 I would have remembered . As regards the P.A. It is just past 35 years since that incident and every grain of the incident is engrained in my mind . I wish it wasn’t , The figures I have engrained in my mind was 229 bodies on the Piper at time of the first explosion that I was aware of at 2200 hrs ships clock time give or take 3 minutes either side. The 229 figure had received just prior to the incident , and shortly after the control room was wiped out. The figure of 37 persons transferred from the Silver Pit to the Tharus was the media figures as I didn’t count them personally and on a rough head count leaving the vessel for transfer seemed more to me. So 37 was the apparent official figure .There were unofficially more than 1 suicide as I am sure their family’s could tell you but if they don’t it is their private business. You weren’t a diver yourself were you ? If on the chance you were that would give me some relieve , as one came on the bridge looking for seasick tablets and I was a bit sarcastic wth him , and thought I may have upset him afterwards when I heard one had committed suicide . To know that particular one was still alive would be some consolation at least. Anyone who survived the PA would have been traumatised to different levels . It took me 33 years to trace the first survivor ,and I thought there may of been a chance he was a terrorist . He wasn’t . It was the good help I received from the person you addressed your post to that I found his picture in some old newspaper and recognised him straight away , turned out he was the chemist and just stepped into the frc and was on the ship within 5 minutes , shortly followed by half a dozen divers who were the first ones off. I asked the owner of this site if I could put my version of the story on this site and he said go ahead and I did in 2012 or there about and is under “ Aftermath” . I am not looking for acknowledgements. I would have preferred to say nothing , but this is a Seamans site and they should be aware of the circumstances and not some glorified Press inaccurate story. Cheers JS

[Marian Gray]

With respect Peter I believe 167 men lost their lives on that date 1988. I am well aware and have it on good authority that many who survived did indeed die later either by excess alcohol or by their own hand and are therefore not included in the initial number which is understandable....no?

You mention the Deepwater Horizon oil spill is not mentioned here, again with respect this is the Piper Alpha thread! You are most welcome to start a thread for the men who unfortunately died off the coast of the United States in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 and indeed share any of insider knowledge you may have.

[j.sabourn]

D#13. Let me add one more thing to my reply in #13. If I was asked why weren’t more survivors rescued and this would be under oath. 1 . From a practical viewpoint and hands on position would be lack of people and boats being launched and all the excuses in the world will not satisfy that question. and 2.That those in charge of the two adjacent platforms did not have the authority to stop production and thus provide fuel and explosions to the fire that raged for the whole of the rescue period, and the ultimate blame to me would be the oil companies who. Enforced their own inadequate doctrines on the people ultimately responsible for life offshore . Is similar to the master of a ship heading for a reef and having to phone the office and requesting permission to alter course and they’re all in bed at home. As regards the Piper it was like rescuing survivors in the middle of a blitz with projectiles and falling bits from the exploding structure raining on your head . Try it sometime . All the talk in the world will not alter the true facts. . JS

[cappy]

Spoken like the seaman and gentleman you are john ....with regard and respect........Cappy R683532

[j.sabourn]

Arigato Do Tussi Mustah . JS

[cappy]

[Q
UOTE=j.sabourn;420375]Arigato Do Tussi Mustah . JS[/QUOTE]

ARIGATO ICHI BAN.....R683532

[j.sabourn]

You should of used that dusting powder the Doctor prescribed . JS

[cappy]

you should of used that dusting powder the doctor prescribed . Js

preffered the blue unction .....r683532