A 32-year-old worker has died following an incident on an offshore drilling rig in the North Sea. Police Scotland and the Health and Safety Executive have opened a joint investigation.
Lee Hulse, from Torry, died on Friday morning while working on the Valaris 121 jackup drilling rig, located about 140 miles east of Aberdeen. He had celebrated his birthday just days earlier.
It is understood he fell from a crane during the early hours. Police said the death is not being treated as suspicious.
The HSE and Police Scotland deployed staff to the rig following the incident.
Valaris confirmed the fatality and said operations on the installation had been paused. In a statement, the company said it was supporting Mr Hulse’s family and that all other personnel on board had been accounted for.
The rig was drilling on the Shearwater field, operated by Shell. A Shell spokesperson said the company was “deeply saddened” by the death and was supporting Valaris.
A report has been sent to the Procurator Fiscal.
A fundraising page set up in Mr Hulse’s memory has raised more than £18,000. The organisers described him as someone who “always looked after his family and friends”, adding that money raised would go towards funeral costs and supporting his daughter.
