Two workers who sustained critical injuries during a fire on an offshore oil platform off Angola’s coast have died, pushing the death toll from the incident to three, authorities announced on Tuesday.
The Ministry of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas said both workers had been receiving medical treatment in South Africa following the blaze, which broke out on May 20 during scheduled maintenance at the Benguela Belize Lobito Tomboco (BBLT) deepwater platform.
The first fatality was recorded on May 24, while the second occurred on Tuesday. Seventeen workers were injured in total.
Operated by the Cabinda Gulf Oil Company (CABGOC), an affiliate of U.S.-based Chevron, the BBLT platform is part of a major offshore oil and gas installation that plays a key role in Angola’s energy production.
Authorities say efforts are ongoing to recover a body that was seen underwater near the platform in the aftermath of the fire.
The National Agency for Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels has launched an investigation into the cause of the incident. No conclusions have been shared with the public so far.
Angola is one of Africa’s top oil producers, and safety concerns in the offshore sector remain a critical issue for both workers and energy operators.