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'Serious' blaze on oil platform 'Very serious' blaze on oil rig
(20 minutes later)
A North Sea platform with 159 people on board is being evacuated after a "very serious" fire broke out at 0830 GMT on Sunday. A major rescue operation is underway after a "very serious" fire broke out on a North Sea rig with 159 people on board.
Seven rescue helicopters have been scrambled to the Thistle Alpha platform after smoke and flames were seen. Seven helicopters were scrambled to the Thistle Alpha rig after smoke and flames were seen at 0830 GMT on Sunday.
A spokesman for RAF Kinloss said the incident was being treated "very seriously" but added that there were currently no reports of casualties. A spokesman for RAF Kinloss said the incident was being treated "very seriously" but added there were currently no reports of casualties.
The Thistle Alpha is 120 miles north east of Sumburgh in the Shetlands. The Thistle Alpha is 120 miles north east of Sumburgh in Shetland.
All of the personnel on the platform are expected to be evacuated by helicopters from the RAF, coastguard and other rigs in the area. They will be joined by two Norwegian helicopters. The first 44 crew members were evacuated shortly before 1000 GMT. The entire crew is due to be taken from the platform later.
Helicopters from the RAF, coastguard and other rigs in the area were sent to the scene along with two Norwegian helicopters.
The rig is operated by Swedish-based Lundin Petroleum, which is involved in oil exploration and production across the globe.
A coastguard spokesman said: "We are conducting a de-manning of allnon-essential personnel due to a fire on board the rig."