The Maritime Union of Australia has concerns the unlit Cliff Head oil platform could put mariners safety at risk.\u00a0 (ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt: Chris Lewis)<\/p>\n
The Maritime Union of Australia is concerned for mariners' safety now the Cliff Head oil platform's lights were turned off.<\/p>\n
Operators of the platform called in administrators in July.<\/p>\n
Marine Safety WA urges mariners to be aware of the navigation hazard.<\/p>\n
An abandoned oil drilling rig rusting away at sea is raising safety concerns now the platform's lights are no longer working.<\/p>\n
The Cliff Head oil platform has been at the centre of a storm over who foots the $200 million clean-up bill after junior oil and gas companies Pilot Energy and Triangle Energy entered voluntary administration.<\/p>\n
Pilot was working with Triangle to repurpose the rig but in July both companies went bust.<\/p>\n
Now sitting idle 11 kilometres off the coast of Dongara, about 350 kilometres north of Perth, the rig which has been used as a navigation aid for more than a decade remains unlit.<\/p>\n
The stretch of water where the old drilling rig sits is frequented by mariners including commercial fishermen.<\/p>\n
Western Australia's Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure released an alert about the lack of lighting on the oil rig.<\/p>\n
Marine Safety WA has advised all mariners in Dongara and Leeman waters to be aware of the 500-metre exclusion zone surrounding the site and to check navigation warnings.<\/p>\n
Thomas Mayo says the unlit platform is very dangerous.\u00a0 (ABC News: Michael Franchi)<\/p>\n
Maritime Union of Australia assistant national secretary Thomas Mayo said unlit infrastructure out at sea could be a "huge risk for mariners" at night.<\/p>\n
"It's very dark out there, you don't have street lights or anything like that [in the ocean]," he said.<\/p>\n
"You've got all sorts of weather and conditions to contend with so it's extremely dangerous to have a facility out there unlit.<\/p>\n