Remembering Piper Alpha - 35 years on

The names of the 167 people who tragically lost their lives in the Piper Alpha disaster will be read aloud at a special memorial service taking place in Aberdeen this week to mark the 35th anniversary of the tragedy.

This year’s service of remembrance will be held in the North Sea Memorial Rose Gardens at the Piper Alpha Memorial, at Hazlehead Park in Aberdeen tomorrow (Thursday, July 6) at 1pm.

The service will be conducted by Gordon Craig (Oil Chaplain), alongside Calum McIlroy, an accomplished musician providing music composed especially for the service. There will also be a traditional piper.

The service will take the following format: introduction, prayer and Act of Remembrance, reading of the names of 167 lives lost, a minute’s silence, laying of wreaths/flowers and commemoration, followed by refreshments to be served at the Park Cafe.

Mark Wilson, OEUK’s HSE and Operations Director, said: “As we mark the 35th anniversary of the tragic Piper Alpha on July 6th, our thoughts remain with the families, friends and colleagues who lost loved ones and we will never forget those who did not return home.

“This anniversary serves as a stark reminder that we can never be complacent about ensuring safe operations in our industry.

“The safety of our people has to be at the heart of all that we do, day in and day out, 24/7, because we all need to be able to go home safely.

"With each year that passes, safety remains very important and, working closely with Step Change in Safety, we will continue to strive to do our utmost to protect the workforce from harm both offshore and onshore.”

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