Families of Kielland oil rig disaster push for inquiry into Norway industrial disaster

  • ITV Border's Kieran MacFadzean met with Colin Lamb and Alan Hunter, whose fathers were among those killed.

Relatives of Cumbrians killed in Norway's biggest ever industrial disaster say they are still seeking justice.

The families of the 22 Britains killed in the Kielland oil rig disaster, when a floating platform housing 212 people capsized in the North Sea oilfields, have met with lawyers to discuss their next legal steps.

Alan Hunter, whose father was among those killed, says the families are pushing for a new inquiry into the disaster which killed 123 people in 1980.

Mr Hunter, from Cleator Moor, lost his 34-year-old dad, Keith Hunter, who was one of six men from Cumbria to die in the disaster.

After 44 years the Hunter family have had their fathers passport returned to them. Credit: ITV Border

Speaking to ITV Border, Alan Hunter said: "Have them lads just been left and forgot about? My dad was never found.

"They forgot about them all. But we haven't, we haven't forgot about them."

Earlier this year Mr Hunter travelled to Stavanger in Norway to mark the 44th anniversary of the tragedy. He met with members of The Kielland Network – a group of survivors and bereaved family members - who continue to call for a new inquiry.

  • Archive footage from the 1980 disaster

Colin Lamb senior was one of the 123 who died when the Alexander Kielland Oil Rig capsized in the North Sea.

Reflecting on his last memories with his dad, Colin Lamb junior, from Plumpton, said: "At the time he would come up to me and say 'look after your mum, look after your mum'. And I thought, what is it?

"What is he talking about? You know, why's he saying that? Because he knew that something was wrong with that oil rig."

Mr Lamb continued: "I wanted to learn more about the truth and what actually had gone wrong and meeting with the families and talking about their loss of their fathers and whatever, you know, brothers meeting them has made it easier and it's good like.

"When we had the meeting to get together in Stavanger 12 months ago. And I just want to know what the truth is."

This week the Hunter family have finally had their father's passport returned to them - after more than 44 years.

The families say they continue to look to the Norwegian Government for answers.

A Norwegian report published in 2021 concluded that there was no basis for a new inquiry and the safety recommendations from it were followed up on, but accepted the original inquiry had undermined trust and not examined liability.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We provided support to the families of the British nationals involved and remain in contact with the Norwegian authorities.”

“Any further investigation into the incident is a matter for the Norwegian authorities.”

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