The Alexander Kielland Oil Rig Capsize - The North Sea's Forgotten Tragedy (Documentary)

On March 27th 1980 during heavy weather in the North Sea, the Alexander Kielland, a 10,000 tonne floating oil platform, capsized with 212 people on board. Often overshadowed by the later disaster on the Piper Alpha platform, this is the story of the North Sea's forgotten tragedy.....
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Artists Impressions taken from the Norwegian documentary "The Kielland Legacy" - no copyright infringement intended.
This channel is dedicated to the interesting, the strange, the unsolved, the tragic. Our world has a varied history full of terrible tragedies, bizarre tales, unexplained events,and extravagant people. I hope you enjoy our content.
#History #Disasters

[@theravenseye9443]

Overshadowed by the Piper Alpha disaster, the Kielland rig capsize seems to be one tragedy which has been forgotten by time......If you would like to support this channel - buymeacoffee.com/TheRavensEye

[@andredeketeleastutecomplex]

The real tragedy is your english.

[@heuhen]

the tragedy have never been forgotten, I have no idea where you have that from! Secondly, the cause of the accident isn't 100% accurate, and also that people didn't know this could happen , isn't correct either. There was a lot of hush hush and I'm older and more experienced then you thing going around during the investigation. They was warned by several people, including the French engineers about a shortcoming in the design. The Rig was build with 6 legs, and thus need to have 6 anchor chains, 1 per legs. If not, the load on the structure would be uneven. due to how each legs are connected to each other. So when she was placed next to another oil rig as an accommodation block, she could only get out 5 of here anchor chains, due to the oil rig was in the way for the 6th one. These uneven pressure on the rig, and a harsh storm hitting the rig from one direction, put one of the anchor chain and the leg that anchor chain was connected to, under a lot of pressure, until it broke the leg of.

[@change_your_oil_regularly4287]

I hadn't heard of this incident. It might be remembered in the region it happened but globally not so much. All I watch is true crime, history, disasters etc and this is the first I've heard of this.

[@Bushwakbill]

“…..Many lessons were learnt”

[@richieduck67]

Ocean Ranger overshadows this

[@markschneider8815]

I had stayed on the Keiland multiple times but was on the beach that night, having just shuttled in. I didn't know about the disaster until the next day when I walked into my favorite bar and was swarmed by a group hug. I lost a number of good friends that night and I, for one, will never forget.

[@tanyaerskine7657]

😢

[@lizc6393]

I'm so sorry for your losses Mark. I'm glad you're still here though, I hope you find peace, truly.

[@raquellofstedt9713]

So sorry for your troubles, man. That is a truly, horrible thing to have happen. I can only echo what Liz says below. Glad you´r still here. Wish you peace.

[@DirtyMac5151]

Think of the bravery need to just do your job. I have high respect for those who take on the jobs like these. I was once a cook for a few years on various ships. While out on my last trip (didn't know it at the time) I became aware of just how small I was really. This thought made it so all I was thinking about was not making it home. When I hit the beach I put my notice in and flew home. One can't think like that and remain out, it serves no purpose.

[@macaylacayton2915]

man, i feel sorry for you, i can't imagine it feels any better today as when it first occurred

[@barrybarnes96]

The fact that 89 actually survived in those condition is beyond mind blowing.

[@Skrallslim]

One of the survivors became a preist. He baptised me (I was around 1 year) in 1983. The coolest preist we had here:) He died in 2017(62years). Rest in peace Theis.

[@Lassisvulgaris]

I guess it can turn both ways. I've met another survivor, who became atheist. He wondered what kind of god would let such a thing happen in the first place, and then only "save" a few....

[@krashd]

"I almost drowned and it was terrifying, so I'll dedicate my life to shoving baby's heads underwater." 😁

[@JP-uk9uc]

@@Lassisvulgaris See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN.” This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire, And the greedy man curses and spurns the LORD. The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek Him. All his thoughts are, “There is no God.” The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good. The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men To see if there are any who understand, Who seek after God. They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one. Transgression speaks to the ungodly within his heart; There is no fear of God before his eyes. For it flatters him in his own eyes Concerning the discovery of his iniquity and the hatred of it. The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit; He has ceased to be wise and to do good. He plans wickedness upon his bed; He sets himself on a path that is not good; He does not despise evil.

[@Lassisvulgaris]

@@JP-uk9uc Do I try to convince YOU of my belief, or lack thereof....? So please keep yours to yourself. It's actually quite rude to try to do so, as many have different points of view, espescially since there is no evidence FOR a creator (unless you can provide any scientific evidence).... BTW, doesn't your holy book say: "Don't judge, for you shall be judged. Don't condemn, for you shall be condemned. Forgive, and you shall be forgiven"...? Doesn't it tell you to turn the other cheek...?

[@ImWillsZX]

are you sure the last name was spelt theis and not thies? theres a very good chance that was my cousin 🖤

[@alanemarson]

As an offshore structural engineer, thank you for covering this tragic disaster - many lessons were learnt.

[@rob6775]

@Two In The Pink One In The Stink lmao it's thanks to engineering if we have basically every advanced structure in the world what the fuck are you talking about

[@KallMeKris2]

Lmao

[@Cornell851]

@@GarrishChristopherRobin777 And i suppose you are an expert are you 🤔. Or just lack sense of humour...

[@BlstFrmThPst]

10 year on shore flowback veteran here, looking to go offshore. Stay safe out there mate!

[@tellybriggs6019]

@@GarrishChristopherRobin777 YEP

[@Ddfffxcgeddccv]

My grand father died there at age 30 He was in the cinema and from the people who survived that were there said that he got crushed by a gas tank behind a glass that was on the side of the cinema that fell on him

[@theravenseye9443]

Sorry to hear that.

[@safeinmyheart1]

💔

[@iwaswrongabouteveryhthing]

So he had your dad at 15yo and your dad had you at 15yo?

[@Ddfffxcgeddccv]

@@iwaswrongabouteveryhthing it was my moms dad and she was 4 when this happend and I’m only 16

[@Elite_0402]

My mam just told me yesterday that’s what happened to my uncle she’s got her self upset as the truth is coming out after 42 years 😢

[@Fusilier7]

Here in Canada, we had our own disaster involving an offshore semi submersible oil rig: the Ocean Ranger. On 15 February 1982, off the coast of Newfoundland, the rig has struck by a gale, that compromised the ballast pumps, causing seawater to flood the rig's legs, which caused the rig to list, then capsize, tragically all 84 crew members perished.

[@57Jimmy]

It’s reminders like this that puts a pause to all the complaining about the price of gas. 221.9 per litre? Many have payed the ultimate price so we can enjoy fuel for our transportation, which is still cheaper than some of the bottled water! Suck it up. Many have DIED and some have the audacity to bitch. Thank you to all those who work hard every day in the energy industry💕🍺🇨🇦

[@karlyoung5089]

@@57Jimmy That is not the reason gas is so high. That is on the politicians.

[@Watts378]

@@57Jimmy Suck it up? lol Majority of that $2.21per liter is tax. People have the audacity to bitch because they struggle to afford just driving to work to guess what....pay more tax. Price of food and services go up when these gas prices go up. I respect the fact that you recognize that some people paid the ultimate price by working on these dangerous rigs - but it has nothing to do with the high gas prices.

[@wyattroncin941]

@@karlyoung5089 actually no, it's due to high speed speculating driving up the cost of crude. it's not politicians, it's traders generating fake demand with supercomputers. the "taxes went up" complaint doesn't really work around the globe, and it's never been a factual complaint in the first place.

[@HotHead00123]

This is a well done documentary on that tragedy. kzbin.info/www/bejne/maqxd5uqnbZsbbM

[@12jsteve]

I remember this terrible event very clearly. I was working at Nimrod Line Squadron at RAF Kinloss at the time. Our Nimrod a/c few many sorties helping to coordinate search and rescue. Very traumatic for the crews as they were limited to dropping life rafts and seeing the disaster at close quarters. Many of the black and white images on this film likely came from the 126 cameras on our a/c. We all saw the images at the time and they are still etched in my mind. It will never be forgotten. RIP.

[@TBullCajunbreadmaker]

I have had 8 legged production platforms completely gone out of the field that was a part of my jurisdiction. Another right next to it was on it's side. Another part of the fields that I was responsible for had a large 8 legged platform that was the crossover for the largest gas pipeline in the western Gulf. There was a semi-submersible drilling rig that tore from it's anchors and ran over the crossover platform and everything was gone. A little further east was one of the largest structures in that part of the Gulf. Just the living quarters could accomodate about 500 workers. This platforn was a dual structure that were tied together so that there were 24 legs in the water. When the drilling rig hit this platform it hit it right in the middle of the center and knocked the top and second decks about 45 feet in the air. It sheared all of the welding from the quarters building and it was gone. The platform was cut up and scrapped. The platform that was my base also had a 280 man, 3 story building on it. This platform still had all of the buildings and equipment on the top deck and the second deck. The third and fourth decks were completely gone. I'll tell you when Hurricane Andrew came through it was the strongest I had ever seen in my over 35 years of working in the Gulf of Mexico. There was junk floating around everywhere and hundreds of boats of all sizes layed up on their sides on the coast. The storm drug a 36" pipeline completely out of it's bed and the broken end of it was 60 miles from where it was suppose to be. That was just one Pipeline. There were dozens of sales lines that were broken and even missing enough of them that whole new lines had to be laid. This was just one hurricane that I went through out there. We did evacuate every time we could but I have stayed on board more than once and it ain't fun. Hell, when I was serving on a guided missile destroyer we had to circumnavigate a storm but we had to get close proximity to the center in order to make it to our homeport. If you have ever been on a warship you know that they are built to take a beating. This Destroyer took one on the chin for our crew. The only time you were out of your rack was to stand watch or eat. When I tell you that we had to walk and crawl on the walls sometimes to get to our watch stations. That ship would climb up the waves and then dive into the trough where the ship would go almost half it's length into the water wher it would climb the next wave. At the crest as it went over both screws would come out of the water and make the turbine engines spool way up until it finally would hit going down and the screws would make the whole ship shudder and almost stall as they dug in and started crawling up the wave again. We spent several long hours trying to distance ourselves and get to calmer waters. We made it all safely to homeport. You think a tin can is a big ship but in that much water it can certainly become very small against the Ocean. Oh well I talk too much!

[@zanedietlin7645]

Thanks for sharing! Sounds like an adventurous life you’ve had

[@wlsnpndrvs8593]

Please, go on...😁

[@ScoobyShotU]

Bro no one carss.. lol 😆

[@iwaswrongabouteveryhthing]

Very interesting

[@hayorge27]

Usually when I see a comment this size, someone talked too much. Not you sir. It's like I was there. Thank you so much

[@Cheeseatingjunglista]

I was off shore, north of the Ekofisk field, on a semi submersible, during this storm, very violent, waves were lifting the rig when they hit against the underside of the accom block. We heard they'd gone down, then loads of us crammed into the radio shack trying to follow the emergency radio traffic. We'd already had a numger of injuries, before we stopped drilling. All were freaked by the news, worried we'd be next

[@AshCupric]

So glad you made it out ok! This line of work is not for the weak. Mad respect to all of you that brave these horrific conditions and risk your lives just to provide essentials that keep our modern world running. I appreciate you.

[@safe-keeper1042]

Thank you for covering this disaster. We take safety very seriously in Norway today, but we had to learn the hard way.

[@theravenseye9443]

No problem - it seems to be something which history forgot about - and it should be remembered.

[@NORWEGIAN_CHEESE]

Hi

[@NORWEGIAN_CHEESE]

Did you know is sonk for the fort broke of AND IT fliped over

[@NORWEGIAN_CHEESE]

AND one place in norway taht rig foot IS take ON land

[@NORWEGIAN_CHEESE]

I know were the broken foot are in norway

[@bernieshort6311]

I am retired now but spent most of my life in the British Merchant Navy as a Marine Engineer. The last 7 years of my working life, I spent offshore as a supervisor. I agree that the safety standards have improved considerably since my introduction to sea going life in the early 1960’s but there is often when things don't go to plan, too much top-down pressure from the command structure to take risk that are downright unsafe. I have been saying for some time, that the industry has forgotten the Piper Alpha disaster and another such incident is overdue. I am so sorry to have to say this, but it is really true. Oil company big wigs put so much pressure on the platforms which then comes down through the ranks that at times it is unbearable. The B P Deepwater Horizon should have been another wake up call for the industry but, unfortunately, it hasn’t changed the fact that the oil major’s top men off shore wave such a huge amount of power that they often interfere in the daily operations and force senior managers to instruct people to do things that would not normally be considered in the normal run of things. Until such time that these top oil men or women I guess are prevented from interfering with the day-to-day operations, (which they are not supposed to do) then nothing will really change offshore. It is as the video said, dangerous enough just getting to your job site to start your stint without all the other daily risk involved in the job. If you refuse to do a job because your risk assessment calculated that the risk was too high and the risk could not be mitigated, then the management team will meet and provide their own risk assessment which miraculously makes the job doable. I wish everyone at sea and offshore, safe sailing and many days of calm seas, may you retire fit and healthy with a decent financial safety net for a happy retirement. The money is good but the dangers many, God bless you all.

[@davidsharples4677]

@@GarrishChristopherRobin777 Stumpy Lez Broadbent ex RN?

[@chrismechanic2000]

sounds like a job to die for.

[@bernieshort6311]

@@GarrishChristopherRobin777 No Christopher, I did not.

[@GenghisCohen257]

I have not known this channel for long, but damn is it good.

[@williamclough6850]

I was RAF Nimrod aircrew on SAR standby when the crew were scrambled for this out of RAF Kinloss. Once on station we remained around 10,000 feet above this providing the co-ordination to the rescue helicopters below. I was the radio operator for this flight mainly dealing with HF communications. The brunt of the radio work was carried out by the 2 navigators and the Air Electronics officer who were working non stop on VHF in order to keep the helicopters on station. By the morning and as we went off task we descended to take photos and what a tragedy lay before us. With the port beam window open we passed over the upturned platform with just the four round bases showing and many surface craft in view. What a sad sight to see. I often think about this tragedy and I'm glad it's been covered for those who lost their lives.

[@Bannerman1903]

Jesus Bill, can't imagine how bad it was for you, genuine thanks for looking out for us offshore lads 👍thankyou

[@krashd]

We probably don't have that capability anymore, like we do with most things we replaced the Nimrod with nothing.

[@debbiecclark6538]

This disaster is certainly not forgotten by bereaved or survivors . The fight for justice continues to this day !!!!!

[@TaraPender-np9rn]

Good to see that someone has taken the time to do this. However as we know, there are several facts missing. Mainly that our Dads died as a direct result of Phillips Petroleum’s criminal negligence. The way that survivors & the bereaved in the last almost 44 years is beyond contempt. We will carry on our fight!

[@debbiecclark6538]

​@@TaraPender-np9rnabsolutely correct x

[@ChrisC-kh4tp]

Excellent documentary on a terrible disaster that was the biggest offshore oil disaster until Piper Alpha. My home town of Cleator Moor lost men on this rig, the poignant photo at the end of the video shows the memorial stone bearing their names. Thank you for sharing.

[@theravenseye9443]

I read many comments from people who felt that the Piper Alpha disaster overshadowed the Keilland capsize and that after Piper Alpha it was somehow forgotten. A terrible tragedy that deserves to be remembered.

[@ChrisC-kh4tp]

@@theravenseye9443 Agree, I think the media in general have never given this tragedy any airtime at all (post Piper A) .... the average person in the street has probably never heard of it. The fact it was a Norwegian rig probably contributes to that, but there was British men on that rig.

[@davew9360]

I remember this tragedy , I am also from Cleator Moor . Do you know where the memorial stone was situated ?

[@davidsharples4677]

I was working in Akers fab shop in Aberdeen when this happened we were building a anti blowback sub sea fabrication, some thing that had it been installed on the Piper would not have allowed the flow of oil and gas to it. Many of the Aker men had family on the Piper. I worked for Stena Offshore in the fab shop, we had compression divers who could not surface. Horror .

[@ChrisC-kh4tp]

@@davew9360 Market Square

[@jackking5567]

To think that I used to work on a North Sea fishing trawler! The weather out there is indeed nasty - calm seas can go to violence within ten minutes. We're talking waves going OVER the fishing trawler as you desperately try to lift a net before the big waves arrive.

[@EverlastGX]

Can you recommend footage of such waves on KZbin?

[@stanislavkostarnov2157]

@@EverlastGX usually when those kinds of conditions strike, filming goes very low down on the priority list

[@ryanriccioni7977]

Sweet Jesus this is absolutely terrifying. Great video.

[@coolkevo]

I agree .heavy hitter

[@enolahopkins545]

Thank you for relaying this horrific tragedy. May the Lord be with those who work on the open seas.

[@safe-keeper1042]

BTW, this disaster was featured in several episodes of the second season of 'Lykkeland' (English title 'State of Happiness'), a dramatized TV series about the early years of the Norwegian oil industry.

[@davidmcc359]

Never forgotten, for I remember the shocking news and horrendous loss of life when that floating accomodation rig upended and the striking images of those four bulbous pontoons just above the waves stick with me. The thoughts of those trapped within, either in their beds or in lounges, suddenly and violently plunged into darkness and perished, unable to find a way out.

[@Chudmeistergeneral]

Exactly that... As a kid at the time, I can't get the image of those round ends out of my mind. 44 years later.

[@kevinhickson8099]

i remember this tragedy very well. .not much safety about in the early years.4 years after the kieland . i went offshore myself .for 38 years and have just recently left this industry and over the years have seen many improved safety standards .its just a shame that that many people have died over the years before things have got changed.

[@robertandrews6915]

Sadly it takes some type of catastrophic failure for designs to be improved. Either they don't know the design is faulty or they don't want to spend the money. Just a couple hundred years ago people thought that diseases were caused by bad air and would dump waste upstream of drinking water. That seems absurd now but people just didn't know better.

[@TracyA123]

Can you imagine how creepy of a job it was to search that rig after it was righted in 1983? ...and then to actually find 6 more bodies? Goosebumps! Great video, sad subject.

[@theravenseye9443]

Yep, creepy. We really felt for the families who had to wait 3 years before they could bury their loved ones. Thanks for the feedback!

[@TracyA123]

@@theravenseye9443 You're welcome! I binged all of your videos. Keep that up! Very well done!☺

[@hermanrobak1285]

The interior of the righted rig reportedly had a really foul stench.

[@TracyA123]

@@hermanrobak1285 I can completely imagine. Just the thought is chilling! Right now I've got the chills...so creepy

[@Fumingzeus]

They knew there were bodies inside and that they were in the pod.

[@markdavis2475]

I remember this well. A offshore structural Engineer told me, sometime after the incident, that the crack started when a 1" hole was drilled in the leg, I think it was to fit a transducer or something. The hole wasn't reinforced, hence a crack started. Anyway, that's all from memory from 1981, I think!

[@johngreydanus2033]

That is similar to what I had heard, although the hole was much larger to fit some kind of transponder, and in one of the cross supports not the leg. They had not done any engineering on the effect of making that hole, which weakened the cross support which broke under huge, repeated strains of the storm waves that night. I was on another rig that night, not far away, the SEDCO 700 and finished at midnight, I remember going to the radio room and listening to the calls. Tragic situation.

[@Fumingzeus]

I remember this I was at sea on a fishing boat at the time, luckily we’d already pulled all our gear because of the weather. We stored everything safely, just in case we were called to help. The weather was atrocious, the waves were high and close together, thankfully we were never called, I was only young but I still remember. RIP lads…

[@RonniE-wl1vt]

current (15 years) scallop fisherman on the east coast of the US. been a few times we've been hit with a 35+ foot rogue wave. most people really can't even fathom that big of a wall of water hitting you. we're a special breed, and we're not getting any younger or hardly any new people wanting to do it. the orob here is, even when someone young and new wants to try scalloping nobody wants someone green on their boat. makes no sense. I don't mind teaching someone who truly wants to learn

[@ISREAL.IS.A.LUNATIC.STATEe]

@@RonniE-wl1vt i almost did it going on a fishing boot in the northsea... told my mom and dad they did not like it and dad told me son its 50/50 . i told him what do you mean 50/50 chance for coming back alife or dead or maybe dead and not coming back...

[@RonniE-wl1vt]

@@ISREAL.IS.A.LUNATIC.STATEe that's right. Every time you leave the dock you really don't know whether you're going to come back or not

[@onewayturtles]

I enjoyed this video because I've heard of a lot of starters disasters, but not this one. Keep it up!

[@billmadison2032]

As a professional weldor. This is the kind of thing that motivates me to perform flawlessly to complete the jobs. I can't imagine something I built failing and hurting /killing anyone. What a shame.

[@billmadison2032]

@Lucky sleven you are a clown

[@billmadison2032]

@Lucky sleven get a dictionary

[@billmadison2032]

@Lucky sleven get out of my thread lucky semen

[@abab-ml1ym]

What sucks is ur mind set for ur work is rare.... Money and speed are thought to be more important than the job done right...

[@billmadison2032]

@@abab-ml1ym thanks looks like I ran the incel out. He questioned my using weldor instead of welder. Lol

[@steven2212]

Outstanding presentation. Thank you, I didn't know about tragedy. Godspeed.

[@danielmarshall4587]

"Making it at the time, the worst ever maritime disaster in the North Sea"......... Thank you for this video.

[@Skretting91]

My neigbour is one of the survivors here. he is 76 and he still sleeps with his lights on and door open. He fell down into the water and was saved by grabbing and holding on to a net. He saw people die, vomiting diesel and all kinds of horrors. He says it was just like when titanic sank. Dead people everywhere

[@Votrae]

Even in a plane crash you couldn't descend 50m that quickly, fully unpressurized... the insane pressure spike they must've felt in rotation is unfathomable. A failing submarine could drop like that, but they'd be mostly airtight until crush. Truly horrifying

[@DrTWG]

Hadn't thought of that - it would be around 5 ATM .

[@fabiovezzari2895]

Gruesome

[@HealThyAse]

@@DrTWG 5 atmospheres will completely obliterate some things. Yikes on bikes and trikes

[@laceneil4570]

Thanks for posting this video, I read about this disaster in a book years ago and couldn't remember the full name of the oil rig, so couldn't look it up. RIP all the victims.

[@setthestandardsimracing8689]

Not normally my kinda video this came across it by chance, actually was a really intriguing story had me sweating now off to find more like this great commentary and story telling keep it up..

[@jamesmeadows6297]

well, this is my new favourite channel

[@associatedblacksheepandmisfits]

This was a busy year for rescue service providers, apart from the A K , we had the Fastnet race to deal with, loads of medivacs and at a distance, Mt St Helens among others more local. Hand on heart , it was probably the only really worthwhile job I ever was in , the rest have just been for my own survival. Would go back and do it all over if I could or needed to, in an instant. Stay safe people, watch the weather and disregard Nature at your peril ! (and at the peril of all those who are sent to save you ! ) Any SAR personnel will tell of idiots unprepared ; no lifejacket, up a mountain in tee-shirt and shorts, not following protocol etc etc. Engage brain before actions !!🙏🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@zogreid]

Very informative, i havent heard of this b4, R. I. P to all that lost there lifes ❤️❤️❤️

[@Tempest-jc3me]

I definetly remember Piper Alpha over this. Granted, Alpha went up in a huge gas explosion, but the loss of an oil rig should not be hushed up.

[@theravenseye9443]

Yes, the Piper Alpha disaster definitely "overshadowed" this tragedy. You don't see much written about this one.

[@associatedblacksheepandmisfits]

It wasn't hushed up per se , was just not reported on much after the fact. Probably because of so many faults/gaps in the flotel safety systems.

[@petermartyn9509]

The piper alpha should not have happened but it did.

[@OmmerSyssel]

This accident wasn't hushed up..! Those days people and media happened to be more down to earth, and no social media hysteria to spend their time with.

[@scottprather5645]

Thank you for these very well done videos

[@beccad9338]

New sub to the channel, love it!! Def glad I somehow ended up here, looking forward to watching all of your vids!!

[@theravenseye9443]

Thanks for subbing Becca

[@Straswa]

Great vid Raven's Eye. I like your narrating style.

[@prophetascending9021]

Excellent analysis, really enjoyed it.

[@petrofilmeurope]

Thank you for giving us the officially correct version of the Alexander L Kielland living quarter rig disaster. However, there is also another version. Steel support pipes that has bee ripped apart due to explosion. These sections were hastily cut off and sent to the French company that had built the Alexander L Kielland rig. I have seen the pictures. I was responsible for making an on site filmed documentary for Hewlett-Packard about the turning of the platform wreck in the Gandsfjord near Stavanger. Hewlett-Packard delivered the sensors that was fitted to the legs. They in turn transmitted data back to the turning operation center on land. I was on site for a month, day and night. This was the first time that a platform wreck in water was turned according to a pre-made computer simulation. The critical point in the turning process came at 105 Degrees angle, when one was seriously afraid that the living section would slide off the deck. It didn't. Your documentary contains rare stock footage. Thank you from Oslo.

[@Chris-jq8ne]

Well narrated and put together video, very Respectful and conveying the true tragedy

[@OmmerSyssel]

Not really, lots of highly important details are left out. There's lots of important informations and different official analysis available in Norwegian language.

[@RodoChaska]

I worked 10 years as a petroleum engineer, to be honest I didn't enjoy my life during those years, I worked in the drilling industry and I was barely at home, luckily now I do something else and I'm happy with it, the only thing I regret is not having the chance to work in a platform, I would like to have had the experience, at least once.

[@johnnymartinjohansen]

I was 10 years old when this happened, and I still remember it well. I wouldn't call it a "forgotten tragedy", at least not here in Norway, where everyone my age and above remembers it well. But of course, it was over 42 years ago, so it's natural that it slowly fades into history.

[@krashd]

Well as someone who grew up hearing about the Piper Alpha disaster I had never heard of this disaster until today and I live just 160km away in Dundee. The only Norwegian oil accident I had ever heard of was on the Byford Dolphin.

[@OmmerSyssel]

@@krashd what are you implying? Norway holds a yearly ceremony remembering their losses. There's several institutions with public available information on the Internet. Nothing is neither forgotten nor hidden about the Kielland disaster.

[@Bannerman1903]

as a UK offshore man for 20 years, I have worked in Norway for many years too, and I have never heard of this until i founf this YT video, it is forgotten in the UK, thats very sad 🥺

[@Chudmeistergeneral]

I'm British and I was 10 years old when this happened... I remember it all too well as it gave me nightmares for weeks.

[@krashd]

@@OmmerSyssel What I was implying is that to non-Norwegians this tragedy was overshadowed by Piper Alpha, so yes, it is a sadly forgotten tragedy. This is what happens when a region experiences a newer or larger disaster, it is nothing new.

[@keith800]

Yes certainly forgotten, I doubt if many people have even heard of it, thank you for bringing it to light.

[@OmmerSyssel]

No it's not! Norway has a yearly ceremony remembering their losses! Their is several Norwegian institutions providing public available informations on the Internet! You are the ignorant!

[@harrickvharrick3957]

The platform had a far too narrow base, it is more or less the first thing you notice taking a look at footage from it: the platform mounted on top of it stuck out enormously on all sides, all around. And indeed, there were no fail-safe for a pontoon snapping off. It needed all the ones it had to stay in upright position.

[@fabiokaya202]

Terrible engineering

[@Watts378]

Well done video. Subscribed.

[@theravenseye9443]

Thanks for subbing!!

[@Vhalior666]

I remember this happening. One of the guys who drank in my local pub in Inverness worked the rigs and knew many of the chaps who perished in this incident. Very sad.

[@angelaweedon3193]

That is NOT forgotten! I am 61 and I remember it!

[@MrBruinman86]

As an American, i remember seeing this on the news in the states as a kid. I had always wondered what had happened.

[@abnurtharn2927]

The tragedy is in no way forgotten, not here in Norway.

[@sixstringedthing]

This was an interesting yet horrifying video about a disaster I had never previously heard of, thank you. Subscribed. Unfortunately I can't unhear "semi-submerciful" at around 01:08 - I'm sure you meant "semisubmersible" :) - but aside from that minor nitpick this was very well done. I'm off to check out some of your other content, cheers. edit: I like that you clearly show the relevant year in each of your thumbnails, only a small thing but it's a great idea. Little details like this will make your content stand out.

[@theravenseye9443]

You know I always watch my videos a few times before posting to try and spot errors and I never heard that..!! Oh well...good job I have eagle eared commenters to spot my goofs!

[@DrTWG]

@@theravenseye9443 I doubt anyone else spotted it , it doesn't matter and I don't think it was even worth commenting on . Great video BTW

[@zoso2o5o]

Riveting. Great research and storytelling. Each video on your channel gets better

[@theravenseye9443]

Cheers - that's a great compliment.

[@seanc6754]

That is absolutely terrifying.. my condolences to anyone who lost family members on this rig. They were able to re-float that thing??? That's crazy

[@dennis2376]

Thank you.

[@TheRealRusDaddy]

Thank whoever made that anchor cable so damn well

[@jessicam5712]

I love the way you say "icy waters"

[@MRREE-zw6xc]

I can't imagine being on there as it was flipping. Freaking terrifying!

[@downunder4404]

Tragic story and well told. A truely terrifying scenario for all the crew. I was very surprised that they sunk the damaged structure once the investigations were completed. Why not cut the rig apart in dry dock and salvage the steel? I guess environmental factors weren't as stringent back then and it was easier/ cheaper to dump it once the insurance money came in.

[@RetroC4]

My father works with a company who design valves for oil rigs, and is over where this rig was origanly made. I’m thankful that he only works offshore as I’d never want something like this to happen to him.

[@patrickdunnett2447]

That was absolutely terrifying!

[@benjaminthomas6783]

I was part of the working crew that transferred to the Kjelland each night. I was the Non Destructive Testing inspector. On the night in question it was foggy and on these occasions when the chopper could not fly we stayed onboard the rig we worked on during the day. I had a small container on the upper deck of the work platform where I developed the radiographs of the welds I had x-rayed and because there was no room for everyone to have a cabin most lads were issued with camp beds and slept in the dining room. I took my camp bed up to my small container and bedde down for the night. Later on the fog had cleared enough for the chopper to pick us up and transfer us to the Kjelland. I decide to stay in my container thereby missing the chopper. The next morning to the rig managers surprise I turned up to work. You must be the luckiest man onboard he said listen to what is happening. And we listened to the the radio messages flying back and forth on the rescue mission for my workmates on the Kjelland. I thank my lucky stars that I was too lazy to get out of my bed to catch the chopper.

[@georgemallory797]

This was great. So was one on the Ocean Ranger and the one on one of the Texas Towers.

[@Barflax]

I've a picture when the rig was laying up-side-down Nedstrand Fjord near Stavanger, very tragic accident. saw that from the railway.

[@dannooooooo]

I once lived on a rig while working for a security company, and we suffered many disastrous events. With an outbreak of a terrible virus, being attacked by rival companies, and even a large piece of machinery being stolen with an attempt to cause catastrophic damage. These event's don't even come close to the companies previous rig which was sank under very suspicious circumstances, killing almost all aboard. But, we had a great *boss*

[@angelaweedon3193]

I always wondered why it wasn't anywhere. I'm glad it now has its here.

[@ThomasGabrielsen]

I was only eight years when this accident happened, but I remember it very well. People being lost at sea was nothing new for us Norwegians, but a accident at this scale shook our little country. The accident was, at least partly, a result of the "wild west" mentality in the new oil industry in the North Sea. I must say that lessons were learned and the safety standards today is really good. Too sad that 123 people had to die before lessons were learned.

[@Lassisvulgaris]

I was 15, and could see the turning operation in Gandsfjord a couple of years later, from the Technical College (Teknikken). I have also met several of the North Sea divers (not from Kialland), who were severly damaged, as very few knew the long term effects of deep sea diving. Sadly, accidents have to happen to improve training, safety and construction.

[@ThomasGabrielsen]

@@Lassisvulgaris Yes. Unfortunately, accidents often have to happen before safety improves. It's impossible to avoid accident completely, but far too many died because of the Alexander Kielland accident. If they had had modern safety standards and modern lifeboats many more would probably have survived. The North Sea divers is indeed another dark chapter in the Norwegian oil industry.

[@Ben-ks5bm]

Safety isn’t really good, I’ve been offshore over 12 years in the North Sea, it’s more luck than judgement that more incidents have not happened.

[@ushoys]

I saw it upside down in Stavanger when I was working on the Ekofisk platforms in 1981. Grim.

[@charliekezza]

Comment #100 love you vids!!

[@liesl7617]

Correction /addition at 28 seconds. *men and women! Great video though - I had no knowledge of this incident at all. I remember Piper Alpha pretty clearly, but I was just too young to remember this tragedy.

[@davidmeckley3773]

That's why weld inspection is so important! And it can't be rushed. Failure to thoroughly do a proper inspection is why things like this happen.

[@drevil3606]

Wow this is totally nuts can't believe I'd never heard of this rip to the unlucky ones

[@jacekatalakis8316]

The Silver Pit, standby vessel for the Alexander Kielland, was later involved in the Piper Alpha disaster as well, which always strikes me as scary given how superstitious some sailors are. Makes me wonder if any of the crew were working both terrible nights, not tha I really want to find out

[@GCStalker]

Yes I knew that. Equally useless on both occasions.

[@benwilson6145]

@@GCStalker Maybe do some research! The Crew of the Silver Pit at Piper Alpha carried a fantastic job. They rescued more survivors than any other vessel. The crew risked there lives and 4 George Medals were awarded to the crew. The Survivor's on the Silver Pit to move away from the Piper as the paint work was blistering. Respect to those who risked there lives to help others! Another ignorant KZbin Armchair Warrior!

[@Ben-ks5bm]

@@benwilson6145 well said, from a offshore worker

[@benwilson6145]

At the Kielland the crew were Norwegian, at the Piper they were British. The Silver Pit was built in Canada

[@shaunmichaelchase]

Unreal terrifying.

[@ScubaSteve15]

My grandfather died on this rig really sad to see how the family’s got treated after the fact. My grandma got like 10,000 for her family of 5 and had to stay in Norway for 15 years before she could come back to the states

[@paulsmodels]

You could never pay me enough money to work out on any type of ocean rig like these.

[@fredlandry6170]

This is horrible, I remember this on the news as a child. In Louisiana where I grew up there are a lot of oil rigs in the Gulf Of Mexico I have family that has worked on them.

[@nastyab8003]

Until you work on a rig in the north sea you do not understand the absolute power of violent, wind whipped water.

[@petermartyn9509]

I was working on a rig in the North Sea at that time on anchor watch. I recall looking out the window of the anchor winch and seeing a massive wave coming my way.....The wave went over the anchor winch (120ft above MSL) lucky I survived.....

[@OmmerSyssel]

@@petermartyn9509 why shouldn't you survive? Even those days sea going equipment wasn't breaking down by harsh weather. A. Kielland was a extraordinary disaster, not another ordinary event.

[@charlesxavier3227]

70 mph wind 40-50 foot waves and the guys were relaxing and eating damn talk about nerves of steel R.I.P to the ones who lost there lives I have nothing but respect for everyone who was on that rig

[@davidwell686]

Amazing engineering feat to build these off shore rigs.

[@peter9180]

I was in that business during that time in the North Sea and further afield, I find it very unusual that, in 1980, rig workers did not know how to release inflatable rafts and that no safety drills took place?

[@craigpridemore5831]

I remember Ocean Ranger and would've said, fairly confidently, that It was the first of this type of 'flip over' accident. Wow. That I've never even HEARD of this 1 stuns me.

[@OmmerSyssel]

It's well known and remembered in Scandinavia. Those days didn't have intense media hype as we do

[@felixcat9318]

If I remember correctly, an inspection hole had been cut into one of the legs, and it was here that the fracture originated. I remember this tragedy from the time, being horrified at the hideous way those men met their deaths. Trapped in a darkened, capsizing structure that only moments before had been their comfortable, warm and safe haven from the maelstrom outside, knowing they had no chance of escape or of being rescued. It has often been said that the health and safety legislation and regulations designed to protect the lives and well-being of workers may as well have been written in the blood of the broken bodies of men whose lives were taken and destroyed by the attitudes of their employers. That it takes laws to protect workers lives and well-being is a damning testament to the state of workers rights and their employers utter contempt for those employed in their care...

[@heuhen]

I have lately heard that one of the contribute to the accident, was that she only had 5 of 6 anchor out. She would normally operate with 1 anchor per legs. but with only 5, she would have an uneven load over here legs, where 1 or more legs would have to take the load the 6 legs should take, and from an direction it isn't designed for. And when you add any damage or other things into the mix... The reason for here having only 5 of 6 anchor out, is due to that she was lying next to that oil rig.

[@abab-ml1ym]

Here in america cops were hired to shoot labor union leaders who just wanted fair pay and job safety.... That is our history...

[@hoodwinkedagain]

Finally a channel like this where the host doesn't use that god-awful repetitive speech pattern

[@archiveseeker]

I saw a documentary about this, back in the late 90s.

[@crazymode341]

I love both fascinating horror and ravens eye. Some may say they are the same. They clearly have. Ot listened to every fascinating horror episode and is working on all the ravena eye. Love these l be sad when the stories run out

[@kevinmorris3086]

I was on the Transocean Artic sitting in the galley and kept looking at this thin plate where i would have thought a window would have been. One of the Norwegians said oh the wave went through that and see the dirty mark on the other side. That's how high the water was in this room. One of the catering staff had just mopped the floor and closed the door and put the do not enter sign up when the wave hit. She would more than likely been sucked out of the window when the wave retreated. Just goes to show how dangerous life at sea can be. I always felt sorry for the Standbye vessel crews they always got hit worse than us on the rigs.

[@mattdowden2901]

Much like the Ocean Ranger disaster here in Newfoundland back in 1982. Safety has come a long way, its too bad its a result of deaths like these.

[@ja-is2lf]

I don't know how those who work on oil rigs do it. My hat's off to you. I get seasick just watching the video.

[@cdd4248]

Utterly Terrifying and Devastating. Why Why Why do we humans ALWAYS learn our lessons the hard way?

[@LOTPOR0402]

Remember seeing this on TV news as a kid

[@austinblack7991]

Please do a video on the ocean ranger

[@nichmon3221]

Everytime I get on the local ferry, I take a minute to local the lifejackets and lifeboats.

[@rybuds47]

Nightmare fuel. Brave to take action during such circumstance.

[@JoeOvercoat]

Helluva’ anchor cable.

[@annabellereid4141]

This is one of the rigs we study on our training courses. Piper is obviously the other one and the dolphin. We always remember these.

[@OmmerSyssel]

What's the official name for your courses?

[@Ben-ks5bm]

What course?

[@annabellereid4141]

@@Ben-ks5bm our safety courses? I also remember it being mentioned while I was doing training for a different job.

[@TrashBinSouvenir]

I always think of those divers after and how traumatizing that must be, even though you know what is coming and what you are looking for.

[@kjetilolsen3385]

Phillips was rushing to resume drilling and the divers were exposed to chemicals etcs and injuring them, Norwegian courts still denies both cases the justice they deserve.

[@Bannerman1903]

1:11 If you look at the narrow bridge between the two rigs, this is what we call The Widowmaker, becuase one rig is fixed and the other is moving with the waves, it is incredibly dangerous to cross. Imagine jumping from a rollercoaster onto a narrow walkway 😧

[@kevinworrall231]

I remember Pipa Alpha too