"NEW ORLEANS — The Coast Guard says a crew member from an oil platform that sank off Louisiana reported an initial explosion three hours before the rig went up in flames in a second, larger explosion.
Coast Guard Senior Chief Petty Officer Mike O’Berry says the first blast was reported at 7 p.m. CDT Tuesday.
Later, the rig sent an emergency signal. O’Berry says a nearby rig at the same time reported the Deepwater Horizon was in flames.
He says the rig didn’t ask for help during the initial call. The Coast Guard sent help after the emergency signal came.
The Coast Guard is investigating what happened during that three hours. "
Hmmmm, that’s VERY interesting. First mention I have heard of that. All the previous stuff was talking about how things happened with no warning & all. This info makes much more sense, but it makes me wonder why the rig seperintendent would have been sitting in the galley as someone mentioned in one of the posts on this thread if the rig had been fighting a well control issue for three hours. Usually you have to throw folks out of the driller’s shack when you have taken a kick because EVERYONE shows up to try & help.
Thanks for posting that info C Captain, really helps things start to make a bit of sense.