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Gerald Herbert / AP file
Damage from an explosion on an oil rig is seen in the Gulf of Mexico, about 25 miles southeast of Grand Isle, La., on Nov. 16.
The Philippine Embassy said Monday that Philippine officials have been sent to Louisiana to help Filipino workers who were wounded in an explosion and fire last week at an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico.
The body of one of two missing Filipino workers was found Saturday and turned over to the Jefferson Parish coroner. He was identified on Monday as Ellroy Corporal, 42. The second man, identified as Jerome Malagapo, remains missing. Four people remain hospitalized.
The U.S. Coast Guard has called off its search for Malagapo, but Black Elk Energy, the Houston-based owner of the ill-fated platform, continued looking on its own.
“We know that it has been more than 48 hours but we Filipinos always believe in miracles and we continue to pray that our other kababayan (countryman) will be found alive,” Philippine Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia Jr. in Washington said on Sunday in a statement.
Cuisia said the remains of Corporal will be sent back to the Philippines after an autopsy. The envoy said he personally contacted Corporal’s widow, Mary Jean, in Iligan City, Philippines, to extend his sympathy and to offer assistance for her and her two children.
The embassy said Philippine consular officials are in Baton Rouge, La., to attend to Corporal’s remains and to look into how the Philippine government could assist the four Filipinos who were seriously burned in the accident.
Body found at scene of oil platform explosion in Gulf of Mexico
Two of the four remain in critical condition at Baton Rouge General Hospital’s burn unit while another is in serious condition, embassy officials said. The fourth, identified as Wilberto Ilagan, is conscious and in fair condition, according to Deputy Consul General Castro.
Ilagan, who suffered burns in 35 percent of his body, was earlier reported to have asked his doctors to inform his family in the Philippines that he is alive and well after he was earlier erroneously reported to have succumbed to injuries.
“To my relatives, to my family, and to my country, I am alive and in good health. I am burned, but my heart and lungs are healthy,” the 50-year-old Ilagan said in the message that was conveyed on his behalf by his doctors.
Searchers in the Gulf of Mexico say they've found the body of one of the two people who went missing after an oil platform explosion on Friday. NBC's Lester Holt reports.
The missing and injured men were guest workers with Grand Isle Shipyard, an oilfield contracting company out of Galliano, La..
They were among nearly two dozen workers on the oil platform at the time of the explosion and fire.
Grand Isle Shipyard CEO Mark Pregeant said the cause of the explosion and fire isn’t known. He said initial reports that a welding torch was being used at the time of the incident or that an incorrect line was cut “are completely inaccurate."
The explosion is being investigated by the local, state and federal authorities. The fire was extinguished a few hours after the blast and Coast Guard Capt. Ed Cubanski told reporters that the platform appeared to be structurally sound.
Black Elk said no oil was leaking from the charred platform, which hadn't been operating since August.
NBC News' James Eng and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Leave a Comment:
It is sad to hear. But why are Filipino nationals working as guests on a domestic oil rig to begin with, when there are thousands of native Louisianans unemployed who would be happy to do the same things and take the same risks?
Exactly. All jobs in the USA, on-shore and off-shore, should first be filled with Americans, especially Americans who are unemployed and collecting government handouts. Allowing guest workers into the USA benefits corporations, but hurts the USA. BRING THE JOBS BACK HOME!
Yes, and then the Fillipinos used a blowtorch on the wrong line. Bring in the American replacements please.
I think it's because the Americans don't want to work out there for whatever pay was offered.
Unreal... 13 miles off the coast of Louisiana an American company base in Texas but foreign workers..nice to read this..NOT!
Cheap labor equals lack of experience! BOOM!
Of course, Illegals will do dangerous work for less pay, because they are illegals.
The same is true for the Mexican and Central American agricultural workers that corporations employ during harvest seasons. At other times they have to go back and self deport themselves.
American corporations and employers are hypocrites who take advantage of this catch 22.
American politicians are also hypocrites who will not enact effective immigration laws.
Americans are selfish hypocrites who allow all this to happen.
IXLR8
Yes, and then the Fillipinos used a blowtorch on the wrong line. Bring in the American replacements please.
Grand Isle Shipyard CEO Mark Pregeant said the cause of the explosion and fire isn’t known. He said initial reports that a welding torch was being used at the time of the incident or that an incorrect line was cut “are completely inaccurate."
Agree with everyone else. Why were there Fillipino workers on this rig? Americans can be trained for these jobs. This company needs to be fined as much as possible.
To those that say these Filipino workers were illegal....... well you don't know squat. They are called OFW workers and they are everywhere in the world. Most cruise ship lines employ them, they work in a hospital near you.......... It is not their fault if they are looking for a better life, if anyone is to fault it is the greedy corporations that don't want to pay Americans a good wage, just to pad their bottom line and give their CEO a new mansion every few years.
Hold off on the bigotry. Just because they are foreign nationals does not mean they are illegal workers.
For the knuckledraggers out there, repeat this 100 times: Non-White person does not automatically mean illegal.
What surprises me is how these people can get into the country so Damned easy. The oil that is in the Gulf belongs to the American people, not Shell, BP, or other oil companies. And why the hell are these oil companies STILL getting HUGE Tax Breaks?? They aren't employing Americans.
It's called qualifications!
Just drill baby! The more American oil that's pumped, the more jobs for our local...um...Filipino guest workers. Yay.
So...add to the list of jobs Americans aren't qualified for: Oil platform worker.
I suspect if truth be known, the Philippine workers were probably being paid less than their American counter parts.
You are wrong. We are paid the same salary for the same job category.
We IT workers tried to tell you about the H1b's taking American jobs by working for low pay but you wouldn't listen. Now, the other crafts are being replaced. Thank the Administration for bringing the low wage workers to this country to do your job.
H1b's have been around long before 2008. You can thank Big Business for it.
Yep, I can remember back in the early 70's the big agri-farms were bringing in workers, first it was the livestock farms then it morphed into apple picking, packing etc. These big farms only kept their laborers, wages, in the states because they had no choice, unlike the textiles mills, the steel mills, and others that could move offshore for the "bottom line" no matter that these Corporations were RESPONSIBLE for the decline of middle class and many other decent and well paid jobs.
Oil work is good paying, hard work.Many Americans would could would rather not do this type of work because we've all been told to go to school to become philosophers or artists or that the road to riches is paved in banking. Oil rig work is beneath many Americans so the Philippinos are here.
American workers will not do this type of work. That is why there are foreign workers doing it. These jobs require 16-18 hours a day, 21 or more straight days, sometimes months of manual labor without a day off. They don't typically get the 'legal' breaks they should. It's dangerous and stressful work, working with chemicals and explosives and you are constantly moving. These workers are away from their families, they miss Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthdays and anniversaries. They are told no when they apply for vacation time because they are needed because the companies can't find enough workers. They miss their children growing up. Then to top that off, they are treated like trash by people who protest their job and stereotype them as drug addicts and criminals.
My husband has been in this field for 4 years. He has missed the last 4 Christmases, 4 Thanksgivings, all my birthdays, our anniversaries, our daughter being born, her birthdays, her first words, her first time walking. We have 2 of every holiday and celebration.. one with him, sometimes months later, and one with him. I am raising her nearly as a single parent because he is gone for 6 weeks at a time working an average of 95 hours a week. There are not many American workers or American families willing to make these sacrifices or work this hard. These companies are BEGGING for workers but can't find any to fill the job, or they quit within weeks because they can't handle it. In the last 3 months alone, my husband has seen 12 guys hired and quit because they couldn't cut it. That is why there are not American workers. My husbands company has a few foreign workers, they make the same wage as the rest of them, yet they seem to last a lot longer.
And, it goes the other way too.. many American oil workers go overseas to work on rigs. It's where the big money is.. but again, not a lot of people can handle it.
Around what age is your husband if you don't mind?
He's probably making good money at the very least. Being an oil worker is a lot like being in the Navy I believe.
He is in his late 20s. Ironically, it is the younger workers, who are in the best shape, that seem to quit the fastest! It is very good money, better than most people make with a college education.. which he got like he was told and made significantly less... which is why we make it work.
I am retired from 30+ years in the oil industry. Most of that was in an oil refinery but I have also worked off shore and I have one brother who still works for an oil field service company. He works a year at a time in Indonesia and comes home for a month. My dad worked the same type of schedule. All oil field workers I know work long, shifting hours and make wages that put them in the top 10% income bracket where I live. They rarely get off for holidays and rarely get to celebrate birthdays, weddings, etc with their families. It's not for everyone and there are never enough people to fill the jobs. That may be one of the reasons foreign workers are being hired in.
CG0946: I'm so glad you posted that. I don't like seeing all those hate mongers posting their uninformed comments.If they want these jobs so bad ,why aren't they applying or at least sticking with it if they are hired.I'm retired now but I've seen this sort of attitude all my life.If more Americans had the work ethic of Filipinos or other foreign workers these jobs wouldn't be available for these other workers. And I'll bet there's not an illegal among them.I know they have to really go thru a lot of crap to get these jobs. Just so you know ,I'm a white American ,born and raised. My hat off to my Filipino brothers. My condolences to the families of the ones that were killed and my prayers for the injured that they may recover and continue to care for their families.
My husband's been in the business 30+ years. He missed so much of family life but supported us all the time. Never had a problem getting a job, in the U.S. or overseas. Inspection work is long hours, weeks but pay is good. You pay a price for being away. No one young wants to put in the hours or schooling to further themselves out of a helper's position. But the future of business would be at your fingertips.
Sounds like the quality of life sucks for oil workers. Out of lack of space I could see working the workers hard for 3, 4,5 , 6 weeks and then switching crews for the same amount of time giving that time off to the first crew. Why the servitude? that I believe is greed on both parts combined with power needs and stupidity.
I'm gonna be famous: Servitude is one part greed, one part master/servant need and one part stupidity.
Work hard ethics........
American workers WILL do this type of work, if the companies supplying the work weren't skirting by labor laws - which they probably intentionally do, so they can get low paying foreigners who won't complain. It's the same thing with any immigrant labor. It's wrong, and sadly it's just more poor 3rd world workers being killed in the name of American consumerism and capitalism.
Which is why I made the point that the foreign workers at my husbands company and all the other companies his contracts to or with get the SAME pay as American workers. AND, many, many companies 'skirt' labor laws, even small time local businesses. I've never had a job where I got the 'legally required' 15 minute break every 4 hours.. It's how they make money. Even with these laws all being followed 100%, there would be very few willing to work this hard. I ask, if workers are willing to do this, why can't many companies find enough workers? Your assumptions are based in ignorance.
There is no law as you state, CG. Your assumptions are based in ignorance.
You are correct that wages are supposed to be prevailing based on skill/experience commensurate with that of US or any other Worker, as well as being paid for full time wages if promised full time work, not part time wages.
A Cautionary Tale for U.S. Employers using the H1B1 Visa Program ...
www.avvo.com › Research Legal Advice › EmploymentCached The law mandates that the wage must be governed by the geographic locations where the H1B1 worker will be employed. Wages for these H1B1 workers must ...
Peace
notsojingo: Sounds to me you are one of these Oil companies reps. True? I think so.
No, I am a Union Member, Vote Democrat Ticket, Bust my can, single father, fact seeker. I do not mind admitting when I am wrong, either. You should try it.
I actuallly looked up this info because I TOO thought that the H1B workers were undercutting wages, not just that, but takling American jobs in the process.
Glad I can share some knowledge with you, just in case you did not know these facts as well. Go to my site and look at my history of blasting the Dril Babym Drill shills, then tel me what ya think, Tarzan7!
No Harm, No Foul. I sometimes fail to research when making assumptions as well.
Peace
So much for domestic oil production being safe and generating jobs for Americans. It is all about one thing: GREED! Oil wealth from domestic production is only going to the pockets of (Philippino) job creators.
Aaron and Max and all the other idiots who cannot seem to get anything through their thick skulls: Pay attention! Let me, as someone who is actually been on an oil rig, set you straight (which CG has already tried)
1) The pay on oil rigs is the same. Foreign nationals (who are working LEGALLY on these rigs) make the same money as Americans.
2) Americans come and go all the time. I held out longer than most (about 6 months), but couldn't cut it. It's not the hard work or the hours that makes guys leave, it's the fact that they miss their old lives and their families.
3) Oil rigs are not unlike that TV show Deadliesst Catch - most simply can't cut it.
4) The jobs pay very well. Very well. Oil companies are not paying people minimum wage.
5) Oil rigs are pretty safe considering. Most companies have strict safety protocols. It is dangerous work at times, but that is the job.
Stop trying to blame the mythical "evil corporation" or "greed" or whatever your favorite blame game name is, and think about the family of the guy that is missing...they are hurting right now.
My condolences to the Families of those injured and killed.
Thank you, Tim, for putting this in context.
Peace
So, who should I feel sorry for? The foreign nationals who got killed, or the Americans who apparently were too lazy to find this work and didn't get killed?
Is there a winner in all of this?
I hope it's oil for BP and BP owned ; I still don't go there.
Right Tim, a man is a man is a man, and deserves respect wherever he comes from, my condolences to their families.
But why is the schedule so hard? Doesn't that make people quit or make mistakes? To save on transportation costs 15 miles off shore? I'd welcome an answer.
Tim, are people working on these rigs stupid enough to cut pipes containing oil with blow torches? Apparently so. Maybe they need to have better training and supervision? And you really thing there are not enough Americans willing to do this job so you have to import workers from other countries?
the TV commercials tell me that oil creates American jobs... what happened?
It's just to add insult to ...injury.
What the Hell are Filipinos doing working on the Oil Platforms?? The oil that they are pumping out of the GULF Belongs to the American people. The least they could do is Hire Americans. All the people out of work in this country and they are Importing workers from other countries? It isn't enough they are taking OUR Oil and selling it back to us at a HUGE profit, they then hire people from Out of the country. Obama ought to look into this Crap. Talk about GREEDY oil companies. Yeah we are creating jobs alright, for FOREIGNERS.
So you should be thankful that other workers are doing a dangerous, very time and effort demanding job which also requires sacrifice and dedication. so that you and your fellow ignorant baboons can have a better life and enjoy your lifestyle. they are not working these jobs to steal your oil idiot! the company is American who hires WORKERS who would be grateful to have a job and not sit and cry mama all the time!
No wonder the lady in the "Did you know" oil industry commercials is always dressed in BLACK!
American Jobs for Americans. We are being Invaded right under our noses and nobody sees it. Pretty soon only Illegals will have jobs.
My God. Where did you get "illegals"?
Thank you Bill Patterson! In 1 hour I made $34,895!
And - get this: it was my mothers roommate's cousin's stepbrother's great-aunt's gardener's god-mother's adopted step-child I sold it to! Sambo!
Furthermore Susan, God knows what else they're up to in there!
May the Soul of the departed, faithful Rest in Peace. May God give the Strength and Courage to his family to bear this huge loss. May God give the strength and courage to the Injured to get well quickly. May God Bless them.
Kevin Valentine Moraes
Mira Road (Thane)
We did not worked here in your country in the Gulf of Mexico oil rigs illegally. We were hired from our home country with complete papers. We,foreign oil workers , travels to different locations worldwide depending on the orders of our companies and demand for skilled workers for that part of the world. I noticed that young Americans quit after sometime because of the work pressure, stress and lifestyle of an oilworker. We don't have much time for friends and families. But the older and experienced American colleagues are hardworking and good.
more ways for friends of politicians to screw middle class americans and keep them in poverty,do they pay social security and income tax like americans?guareenteed the wages they pay are not the wage of an american oil worker,and to have a name like black elk is a slap in the face to native americans,i guess the ceo laughs his ass off every time he looks at the name,jindal has to know they are not from his neighborhood,but then jindal is a repub.who is only once removed from india.
If American companies prefer to hire expats than locals, then something is wrong in your system.
that's not an answer,and are you an expat?
So Mike what do you do for a living?
what did i do?union construction worker 39 years.democrat i might add.
what do you do?