Family members of missing oilmen got acquainted with search operations

Baku. 29 December. REPORT.AZ/ Works for search and rescue of lost oilmen in determined sectors continue, in accordance with plan of the staff including leading specialists of Ministry of Emergency, Ministry of Defense, State Border Service, State Maritime Administration, SOCAR and Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping CJSC, established in national center for management of ships movement of State Maritime Administration, in conformity with order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on December 16, 2016, on some arrangements concerning incident at Oil Collecting Point of "Azneft" Production Union of State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR).

Report was informed in the search and rescue staff, members of families of missing after incident oilmen, visited search and rescue staff established at National Center for remote identification and monitoring established at the office of the State Maritime Administration to get acquainted with the pace of search operations.

The staff informs that the head of state pays attention to search operations, uninterrupted measures, and members of the team established by instruction of the President, including specialists of Ministry of Emergency, Ministry of Defense, State Border Service, State Maritime Administration, SOCAR and Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping CJSC, taking part in search operations, mobilized their efforts to find oilmen in shortest time, through use of material and technical facilities belonging to above agencies.

Head of State Maritime Administration underlining that up-to-date search and monitoring systems have been installed at the National Center, informed that, in accordance with the instructions and recommendations of the staff management, taking into account the weather conditions, wind speed and direction, as well as submarine and surface flows, decision was made to expand the search area. Search and rescue operations cover an area of 165 km and a width of 135 km. It was noted once again that the search and rescue staff is ready to provide opportunity to families of lost oilmen to get acquainted with the pace of operations.

Family members of missing oilmen witnessed the search and rescue operations, intensively conducted by involving “Avoir” diving boat and other boats of Diving and Rescue Works Department of SOCAR, a total of 44 vessels and floating vehicle, 6 helicopters, as well as over 700 manpower of the Ministry of Defense, MES, SBS, SOCAR and "Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping" Company, visual search carried out by Water Rescue Service of the Ministry in sectors, including Bulla, Duvanni, Gil islands and along the coastline, 24-hour intensive cleaning works carried out by divers of Diving and Rescue Works Department of SOCAR in the area, where the pier collapsed into sea, 24-hour underwater video inspection carried out by “Mammad Suleymanov” and “Tabriz Khalilbeyli” boats with mounted “ROV” unmanned submarine apparatus.

Family members of missing oilmen, reviewing the search operations together with specialists, expressed their deep gratitude to the President of the Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev, who regularly pays attention to search and rescue operations to findcmissing oilmen.