Rig Worker Killed In Gulf Of Mexico Oil Rig Accident

A 34-year-old Hope man was killed Oct. 20 while working aboard an oil rig off the coast of Louisiana.

Sam Whitley was working aboard the Pacific Santa Ana, a ship owned by Pacific Drilling, at the time of the accident. The ship was about 200 miles off the coast of Lake Charles, La., and had just begun operations at the time of the accident, which occurred sometime around 10 a.m., according to Heidi Brown, Whitley's sister-in-law.

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said in a statement that the Pacific Santa Ana drill ship was beginning drilling operations for Chevron at the time of the fatality. Brown said they had yet to break seawater.

Operations on the drill ship have been shut down, according to the BSEE statement. There were no other injuries reported and personnel remain on the ship. There was no reported pollution.

BSEE and U.S. Coast Guard inspectors traveled to the drill ship the afternoon of Oct. 20 to begin collecting evidence and taking statements. The incident will be investigated by both BSEE and the Coast Guard.

Brown said the family has not been given many details about what may have occurred, as an investigation is getting under way today.

"All they are telling us is an accident happened and he was fatally injured," Brown said.

Whitley, who began working on the ship in January, was previously a self-employed roofer.

His wife, Stacy Whitley, left for Louisiana the morning of Oct. 21 to learn more information. Brown said at this point officials will only confirm the cause of death, and no details of what happened are being released yet.

"You don't meet many people like Sam Whitley," Brown said, noting that he was a phenomenal husband, father, brother and friend.

Danielle Fagonde, principal at Hope Elementary School, where the Whitleys' three children are students, sent out a notice to the school community Oct. 21.

"It is with deep sorrow that I write to you today to let you know about a tragedy that happened in our school community yesterday..." Fagonde said in the email.

A guidance counselor is available at the school Oct. 21 to meet with students and staff as needed.

Several fundraisers are under way to aid the family. A gofundme site is being set up, as well as a meal train fundraiser where community members can sign up to help provide dinners to the family. To sign up, go to http://www.mealtrain.com/trains/vvlz6w

By Kim Lincoln

Source: KNOX Village Soup