#Onother #oil rig #explodes in #Gulf of Mexico

2010-09-03 00:25:03

HOUSTON, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- Another oil rig has exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, officials said Thursday.

The blast, which occurred 80 miles south of Vermilion Bay along the central Louisiana coast, was reported by a commercial helicopter company at about 9:30 a.m. CDT Thursday, said Coast Guard Petty Officer Casey Ranel.

Smoke was reported but it's not clear if the rig is still burning, Ranel said.

Multiple helicopters, an airplane and several Coast Guard cutters were en route to the explosion site, west of the site of the April rig blast that unleashed the worst spill in U.S. history.

It is not clear whether there are injuries.

The explosion took place on the Vermilion Oil rig 380, which is owned by Houston-based Mariner Energy, according to CNN.

Thirteen people were on board the rig, among whom 12 have been accounted for but one was missing, Coast Guard spokesman John Edwards told CNN.

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