Worker still missing 30 days after oil rig's collapse

JANUARY 21 marks 30 days since Well Services Petroleum Company Ltd's Rig 110's partial collapse and worker Pete Phillip is still unaccounted for.

The last update from the company came almost two weeks ago on January 9. Newsday has been unable to get an update from the company since.

In its last statement, Well Services said the search and recovery operation for Phillip's body had been paused owing to safety concerns. It said it had identified what was believed to be the location of Phillip's body, but the collapsing rig first needed to be stabilised before a retrieval operation could be attempted.

"Failure to do so will further jeopardise the safety of other personnel involved. We remain committed to carrying out this process with the utmost attention to safety and efficiency.

"While we are doing everything possible to expedite the process, each phase must be carried out with meticulous care and precision. Our primary focus is the safety of the recovery team and all personnel on-site, and we are committed to moving forward as swiftly as these critical procedures allow."

The company said under OSH Authority guidance, it was actively securing specialised equipment, including a heavy-lift barge and crane barges.

Phillip, a father of four, would have celebrated his 46th birthday on January 17.

His wife, Candacy, told Newsday the company took 12 relatives on a boat to the rig site to host a prayer service and tour the wreckage in commemoration of Phillip's birthday. Candacy, who is expected to deliver Phillip's last child by the end of February, did not attend because of her pregnancy. Instead, she told Newsday she would stay home with the couple's children and pray for their father.

In a brief WhatsApp exchange on January 20, she said she too had not received any recent updates from the company. On January 16 she told Newsday she was expecting an update from Well Services over the weekend.

Part of Rig 110 collapsed shortly after 3 am on December 22. Search and rescue operations began immediately for Phillip who was unaccounted for, however, by December 26, the company presumed he was dead and switched to a search and recovery operation.

The company has been providing financial and other support to Phillip's family since.