Secrecy shrouds oil-rig 'mutiny'
08/06/2005 23:16  - (SA)  

7 Thais thrown into sea Captain fears refugee mutiny

Abigail Isaacs, Die Burger

Cape Town - There is a veil of secrecy at an oil rig which docked in Cape Town harbour recently, after rumours that the crew wanted to throw the captain overboard.

A helicopter was called last Friday to pick up the French captain of the Pride South Sea after he apparently had had a "nervous breakdown".

Court Helicopters pilot J D Burger said he had received the call on Friday afternoon when the rig was many sea miles northwest of the Cape.

"After I brought the man, who seemed emotionally upset, safely back to the city, he was treated by medical staff."

The captain, whose name is not known, is reported to have had a "nervous breakdown" after American crew apparently had thrown a suitcase containing personal items overboard and threatened that he would be next.

The oil rig was under way from the Gulf of Mexico to Cape Town when the incident - one of a whole series - apparently took place.

Burger said he had taken two inspectors to the rig on Saturday.

"I was under the impression they were technicians."

Apparently, they were private investigators who had come to investigate events on the rig.

Five American crew were reportedly removed from the rig by helicopter and presumably will face disciplinary steps.

Pride Foramer, the company that owns the rig, did not want to comment on Wednesday.

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