3 missing as Saudi Aramco offshore platform sinks

Three Asian workers with Saudi state oil giant Aramco were missing after one of the company's offshore maintenance platforms sank on Friday, the firm said in a statement. The remaining 24 crew were saved but some suffered "limited injuries" and a "search is ongoing for three others -- two Indians and a Bangladeshi," Aramco said in a statement emailed to AFP. It said a thorough investigation into the incident would take place, and adding that the company's operations were not affected by the incident. The platform sank as it was carrying out maintenance work at an oil well in Safaniya, the world's largest offshore oilfield, in Eastern Province 265 kilometres (165 miles) north of Dhahran. Dhahran is the base for the world's largest oil company in terms of production and reserves. Eastern Province Coastguard spokesman Colonel Khaled al-Arqubi told the website of the local Al-Sharq daily that his force was alerted to the incident around 19 nautical miles off Ras al-Khafji port. He said coastguards were still searching for the three missing workers. Discovered in 1951, the Safaniya field is 50 kilometres by 15 kilometres and has a production capability of more than 1.2 million barrels per day. The company said Friday's incident would not affect overall production at the field. Source: AFP