Travel Safety Update - North America

New York (AirGuide - Travel Safety Update North America) Sep 5, 2010 An offshore petroleum platform exploded and was burning Thursday in the Gulf of Mexico An offshore petroleum platform exploded and was burning Thursday in the Gulf of Mexico about 100 miles off the Louisiana coast, west of the site where BP's undersea well spilled after a rig explosion. The United States Coast Guard said the rig was not in production, suggesting there would be no oil leak, but it could not be sure. The blast comes as states surrounding the Gulf are still cleaning up after the BP oil spill. The rig, about 80 miles south of Vermilion Bay, Louisiana, is owned by Mariner Energy. Petty officer Colclough, of the coastguard, said the rig was still on fire. The Coast Guard said no one was killed in the explosion, which was spotted by a commercial helicopter flying over the site Thursday morning. All 13 people aboard the rig have been accounted for, with one injury. The extent of the injury was not known. Sep 2, 2010