Deepwater Horizon explosion
On April 20, 2010, an explosion and fire occurred on the Deepwater Horizon semi-submersible mobile offshore drilling unit, which was owned and operated by Transocean and drilling for BP in the Macondo Prospect oil field about 40 miles (64 km) southeast off the Louisiana coast. The explosion and subsequent fire resulted in the sinking of the Deepwater Horizon and the deaths of 11 workers; 17 others were injured. The same blowout that caused the explosion also caused an oil well fire and a massive offshore oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, considered the largest accidental marine oil spill in the world, and the largest environmental disaster in United States history.
Anchor handling tugs and platform supply vessels combat the fire on the Deepwater Horizon while the United States Coast Guard searches for missing crew.
Deepwater Horizon drilling rig before the explosion
A helicopter crew medevac survivors from Deepwater Horizon after the explosion.
A remotely operated underwater vehicle attempting to turn on the Deepwater Horizon blowout preventer
Deepwater Horizon was an ultra-deepwater, dynamically positioned, semi-submersible offshore drilling rig owned by Transocean and operated by BP. On 20 April 2010, while drilling at the Macondo Prospect, a blowout caused an explosion on the rig that killed 11 crewmen and ignited a fireball visible from 40 miles (64 km) away. The fire was inextinguishable and, two days later, on 22 April, the Horizon sank, leaving the well gushing at the seabed and turning into the largest marine oil spill in history.
Deepwater Horizon semi-submersible drilling rig.
The Deepwater Nautilus, sister rig to the Deepwater Horizon, being transported aboard a heavy-lift ship
Deepwater Horizon in flames after the explosion