3 crew members die while working on rescue vessel

An accident aboard a rescue vessel on the North Sea took three lives.

Photo: 3 crew members die while working on rescue vessel

The men were working aboard the Viking Islay - a 53-meter (174-foot) rescue vessel - when the accident occurred, Vroon Offshore Services Ltd. said in a statement.

The men were airlifted by the Royal Air Force to the Hull Royal Infirmary in northeast England, where they were pronounced dead, an official at the hospital said, speaking anonymously because he was not authorized to talk to the media about the deaths.

The Viking Islay, which was supporting operations at a rig in BP PLC's Amethyst Field in the North Sea, has now returned to port, Vroon Offshore's statement said.

A spokeswoman for the company said the men would only be identified once their next of kin were informed. She said two were British.

She refused to give any further details, and local police refused to comment on the accident.

Vroon Offshore, part of the Vroon Group BV, provides of emergency response services to the offshore oil and gas industry.