An “extensive search” is underway this morning following reports of a missing North Sea worker offshore.
Staff on the Noble Lloyd Noble realised a 49-year-old man could not be found on board at around 9:20pm last night.
He had been working on the platform, operated by Statoil, located about 90 miles east of Shetland in the Mariner Field.
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Inspector Steve McEwan said: “An extensive search of the rig itself and the water surrounding it is ongoing, led by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
“We are working closely with the companies involved and next of kin to keep them informed of any developments.”
Police were called after initial searches of the installation proved unsuccessful.
A coastguard helicopter, two standby vessels and a platform supply vessel are all involved as the effort to find the man continues.
A spokesman for Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: “A UK Coastguard helicopter, an offshore support vessel and other vessels in the area searched overnight for a man missing off an offshore mobile drilling rig. The search was co-ordinated by the UK Coastguard.”
UPDATE: Officials now say the search has been “scaled back”.
An MCA spokeswoman said a helicopter called out from Sumburgh to help with the search had returned to base.
But she said the other vessels which were mobilised earlier were still keeping an “active watch”.
