An oil rig has run aground in the Outer Hebrides after being blown off-course by a severe storm.
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A spokesperson for the company told the Scottish Daily Record the rig lost its tow during severe weather off the western coast of the country.
‘The drilling rig has now grounded on the west side of the Isle of Lewis near Carloway.
“The Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s counter pollution branch and the SOSREP have both been monitoring the situation since yesterday evening and the local authority, police and Marine Scotland have all been kept informed”.
The structure was towering over the beach which is popular with surfers because of the waves it generates. The MCA’s emergency towing vessel Herakles was deployed from Orkney to assist.
SMIT Salvage was mobilised to deal with the incident.
Alp Forward had hit severe weather west of the Isle Of Lewis while towing the Transocean Winner, which recently came off contract with Marathon Oil in the Norwegian North Sea, on a US$498,000 day rate, according to Transocean’s fleet status report.
Stornoway Coastguard search and rescue helicopter also flew over the scene.
Alp Forward is a Dutch-flagged 65m anchor handling salvage tug with 218 tonne bollard poll, a service speed of 11.5 knots and classed by DNV GL.
The rig was being transported from Norway to Malta when the tow line broke and it was pushed aground off the Isle of Lewis, a spokesman for Transocean Inc, which owns the rig, said by phone.
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No personnel were on board at the time of the grounding and there was no word of a release of any material on the rig.
