Four missing after South China Sea offshore wind accident

Four people are missing at sea after an incident at the Shengping offshore construction vessel being used in the final phases of construction at the 400MW Huizhou Gangkou I Huizhou Gangkou I (400MW) Offshoreoff Huizhou, Guangdong, China, Asia-Pacific Click to see full details project in the South China Sea.

According to reports by China’s official news agency, Xinhua, search efforts were continuing on Sunday (25 July) following the rescue of 61 of the 65 people who were on board the vessel when it tilted.

Some 30 rescue vessels and helicopters were involved in the search operations, alongside the State Oceanic Administration’s South China Sea Forecast Centre, which was tasked with making drift predictions for the missing people.

The alert with the Guangdong Provincial Maritime Search and Rescue Centre was raised at 11.26am, and by 3.30pm it was announced that 61 people had been rescued, but four were missing.

Four missing after offshore platform accident in Guangdong. pic.twitter.com/85UFN7snf2

— CGTN (@CGTNOfficial) July 26, 2021

The wind turbine installation vessel Sheng Ping 001 had recently been converted from the jack-up offshore construction vessel Teras Fortress 2. It is owned by Tianjian Jincheng Offshore Engineering.

China General Nuclear Power Group’s (CGN’s) Huizhou Gangkou I offshore wind farm has been under construction since December 2018. The first few turbines were brought online earlier this year.