A lawsuit was filed Wednesday in a Texas District Court by one of the crewmen aboard a drillship that rode out Hurricane Ida in the Gulf of Mexico.
The suit alleges that the defendants, which include Shell Oil Company and Noble Drilling Services, Inc, did not "care about the risks posed" to those aboard the drillship Globetrotter II and that they, "continued to operate the vessel in direct defiance of the National Hurricane Center's forecast."
According to the lawsuit, after unlatching on August 28, the Globetrotter II headed directly into Hurricane Ida. It states that the ship's chosen course took it within ten miles of the storm's eye wall and exposed the crew to 150 mile per hour winds and 80-foot swells.
"On board, ferocious sea tossed the crew around and threw them into walls," the lawsuit states. "The Globetrotter II was swaying so severely side-to-side that the crew was forced to walk on walls. The sway was so extreme that the Globetrotter II almost capsized several times. The entire crew believed they were going to die."
The plaintiff alleges that he suffered several injuries during the storm including constant headaches, pain to his neck, back shoulders and other parts of his body. According to the lawsuit the plaintiff also suffered from "emotional disturbance as a result of the Defendents' actions including anxiety, difficulty in focusing and concentration, sleep disturbance and more."
The lawsuit is seeking a monetary relief of over $1 million.
Read the lawsuit below:
140 crew members were on board the drillship as it rode out Hurricane Ida in the Gulf of Mexico.
According to the company, following the storm, the ship was operating under it's own power with all of its marine and safety systems functioning.
Nine crew members sustained minor injuries and where treated on board the vessel. Four were take on shore for evaluation following the incident, the company said.
Damage was reported on the rig with several riser joints and the lower marine riser package separating from the ship. A cofferdam was damaged and took on a limited amount of water, Noble said.
"The safety of all aboard our vessels is our highest priority and we will continue to work closely with our crew and their families to provide all necessary support as we continue to recover from this storm event," said Craig Muirhead, Noble, Vice President- Investor Relations and Treasurer, following the storm.
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