Man severs hand on oil platform

The man was airlifted to hospital

A man has been airlifted to hospital after severing his hand in an incident on a North Sea oil platform.

It happened as he carried out maintenance work on BP's North Everest platform, 130 miles east of Aberdeen.

It was understood the man's hand was completely detached. A second man was taken to hospital suffering from shock.

The injured worker has not been named but is thought to be a mechanical technician, aged in his mid 30s and from the Teesside area.

Routine maintenance

A spokesman at the Coastguard's Aberdeen maritime rescue co-ordination centre said: "We received a call at 1021 BST reporting that a man on board had a severed hand and other injuries.

"The Coastguard helicopter flew down from Sumburgh on Shetland and picked the man up, along with a medic from the rig, before taking them on to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary."

BP said the Health and Safety Executive had been informed and that the company would conduct its own investigation into the accident.

A spokesman said: "The employee sustained a serious hand injury while carrying out routine maintenance working on the platform.

"He received medical treatment on the installation to stabilise his condition and arrangements were made to fly him by helicopter to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for further treatment."