1988 Piper Alpha disaster.

I remember this tragedy with sadness as I knew one of those who died. Gareth Watkins’s was in the RAF Kinloss MRT with me in the 70’s. He was a lovely man and left the RAF to work in the oil industry as a medical attendant. There is some tragic footage of the rig on fire and a lot came from the Sea King at Lossiemouth. There was a documentary being filmed at the time on Mountain Rescue and I sure some of the crew filmed it. A few months later in December the Lockerbie Disaster occurred .

Gareth no 14 in the photo in Skye.

I received this today from a good friend Mick Coward. “Hi Heavy. Today 6 July 1988 i was the Piper Alpha disaster”

Piper Alpha exploded and sank on 6 July 1988, killing 165 of the men on board,plus a further two rescue workers after their rescue vessel, which had been trapped in debris and immobilised, was destroyed by the disintegrating rig. Sixty one workers escaped and survived, and thirty bodies were never recovery.

Remembering Gareth Watkin. “The initial explosion was around 22:00. In the Cullen Report it says Gareth was last seen helping a casualty to the Sick Bay”

Gareth Hopson Watkin, 42, offshore medical attendant. RIP.

Thinking of Gareth’s family and friends.