9 Jan 2013

Oil rig towed to harbour

5:52 am on 9 January 2013

A Shell oil drilling rig that ran aground on rocks off an Alaskan island has reached a safe harbour.

The Kulluk broke free from towing ships in stormy weather on 31 December.

It was refloated on Sunday night and towed 48km to Kiliuda Bay, arriving there just after midday on Monday.

Salvage teams have found no signs of breaches in the rig's fuel tanks and only one area where seawater leaked onboard.

Shell said it had not yet been determined whether the Kulluk will be fixed in Kiliuda Bay or somewhere else, and whether it could continue to Seattle for winter maintenance.