Piper Alpha - Rest in Peace

[shaunbhoy]

Just got the chance to watch the documentary on this last night. Dreadful business. I knew a guy who was killed on there too, and he actually got a mention in the programme. Lovely fella too.
God Bless those who went through it. The thought of leaping 175 feet into darkness just on the off-chance you will hit water is truly daunting. I suppose when the alternative is being burned it makes that choice a bit easier, but even so.

For those who didn't catch it I would recommend seeing it on iPlayer. Harrowing but worth watching IMHO.

[rhubarb]

Watched this too.
Listening to the guy on one of the rescue boats who was 40feet back from the front of his ship, and behind glass but still had to pull back due to the heat, and then realising there were guys still on the platform who survived, amazing.

[BoredBloke]

I watched it also. My dad used to work offshore and was on the Claymore rig, just up the pipe from Piper Alpha (but not when it blew up). Often Piper Alpha had too much gas to handle and they would push it up to the Claymore. He said the whole rig would shake as the gas made its way up to the flare. You could always spot Piper Alpha because it always had the biggest flair.