Daily Record (Scotland): OIL RIG DEATHS PROBE U-TURN: “In April, Shell were fined a record £900,000 after admitting blunders leading to the deaths of Mr Moncrieff, of Invergowrie, Dundee, and Mr McCue, of Kennoway, Fife.”: Posted Wednesday 20 July 2005

Union welcome FAI into tragedy

By Charlie Gall

UNION chiefs yesterday welcomed the go-ahead for a fatal accident inquiry into the deaths of two offshore workers.

Keith Moncrieff, 45, and Sean McCue, 22, were overcome by gas on Shell's Brent Bravo platform in September 2003.

Earlier this year, the procurator fiscal in Aberdeen refused to order an FAI.

But yesterday, Scotland's top law officer, Lord Advocate Colin Boyd QC, over-ruled the decision.

He explained he had concluded it was 'in the wider public interest' for an inquiry to be held.

Backing the move, Amicus regional officer Graham Tran said: 'There are literally hundreds of unanswered questions relating to this incident.

'It's important that if people are serious in taking forward lessons learned, that we have the full facts and details.

Jake Molloy, of Aberdeen-based offshore union OILC, said: 'We appreciate this inquiry will be an extremely difficult time for the families.

'However, we hope it will bring final closure for them whilst answering the many questions that still surround the tragic events of September 11, 2003.'

In April, Shell were fined a record £900,000 after admitting blunders leading to the deaths of Mr Moncrieff, of Invergowrie, Dundee, and Mr McCue, of Kennoway, Fife.

They were suffocated by an escape of gas while inspecting a patch on a pipe

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