By Sabrina Valle and Marianna Parraga
HOUSTON (Reuters) – Nine crew members of a Noble Corp. drill ship suffered minor injuries when Hurricane Ida hit the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday and damaged part of their vessel, the company said on Wednesday.
The workers have been treated on board and four have been taken to shore for evaluation, vice-president for Investor Relations Craig Muirhead said in a statement.
Noble is working to bring onshore some crew members and will replace personnel to support operations, Muirhead said.
The vessel, the Globetrotter II, departed the a drilling location early on Saturday and encountered hurricane-force conditions on its way.
The U.S. Coast Guard said earlier on Wednesday it is helping to take the ultra-deepwater drillship to a Louisiana port for repairs.
The storm was strong enough to break a limited part of the hull and allow water into some compartments, Noble has confirmed.
“A cofferdam on the ship was damaged in the storm and took on a limited amount of water, however this is not critical to the vessel’s safety or stability,” Muirhead said.
The Coast Guard since Sunday has been in contact with the Noble Globetrotter II’s crew, it said, after sending a cutter to the vessel. The ship’s master has said the vessel was not in distress and not actively taking on water, according to the Coast Guard.
Noble said personnel can be removed by helicopter once charter service from hurricane-affected areas allows.
The Globetrotter II is operating on its own power with functional marine and safety system, Muirhead added. A full assessment of the drill ship’s condition is in progress.
Noble did not comment on reports quoted by the Coast Guard that the drill ship might have suffered damage to its hull.
(Reporting by Sabrina Valle and Marianna Parraga in Houston)
