28 Mar 2012

North Sea gas rig at risk of massive explosion

4:25 pm on 28 March 2012

Exclusion zones have been put in place around a leaking gas rig in the North Sea, which is at threat of a massive explosion.

The Elgin rig's 200 workers have been evacuated to the Scottish mainland 250 kilometres away, while the French energy company Total tries to fix the leak.

Now officials have ordered ships to stay at least three kilometres away and aircraft nearly five kilometres away.

Total's safety manager David Hainsworth says it is doing all it can to stop the leak.