The Michigan Daily-Thursday, May 17, 1979-Page 7
WITNESS SAID WORKERS FEARED COLLAPSE
Testimony
GALVESTON, Texas (AP)-Opening
testimony yesterday at an inquiry into
last week's tragic oil rig collapse in-
dicated workers were afraid the plat-
form might fall before it tumbled into
the Gulf of Mexico.
Joe Pillsburg, first mate of the ship
that delivered supplies to the rig
Ranger I, said his captain told him the
workmen apparently felt the structure.
shift or drop before the collapse.
"The captain told me everyone on the
rig was afraid it was going to fall," said
Pillsburg, the second witness at the
Coast Guard investigation of the ac-
cident last Thursday that killed two
workers and left six others missing.
THE LEADOFF witness, Van Meter
Fayard, captain of the supply vessel
opens inoil rig accident inquiry
Delta Seahorse, testified that prior to is scheduled to testify today. Fayard, of Waveland, Miss., said
the collapse he heard someone talking Fayard testified the 15-foot Delta there was no damage to the Delta
by radio from the rig to a dispatcher on Seahorse bumped a leg of the Atlantic Seahorse and added, "If there was any
shore. Pacific Marine Corp. rig eight hours damage to that leg, it was very slight."
"He said he had the hell scared out of before the collapse.
him earlier in the day," Fayard said of BUT COAST GUARD Capt. William PRIOR TO the accident, Fayard had
the voice on the radio. "It sounded like Whaley, chairman of the board, said unloaded about 50 tons of supplies in-
he was not too concerned about it. the leg struck by the Delta Seahorse cluding a portable cement tank,
Later that night, a leg on the rig apparently was not the same leg that chemicals, a drilling unit, and a basket
ollapedh , dg the or a collapsed on the 1,300-ton rig, of rig equipment.
collapsed, dumping the platform and
34 men into the Gulf. Twenty six were "We tried to moor to the rig Ranger I, Fayard said he also had pumped
rescued. and during the mooring operation I about 9,000 gallons of diesel fuel onto
FAYARD DECLIEND to identify the brushed the starboard bow leg of the rig the rig and about 250 to 500 barrels of
voice from the rig, but Pillsbury told Ranger I," Fayard testified. "After water.
the Coast Guard panel, "The captain that, we stayed on anchor because of
told me it was the toolpusher." the weather. Two people came off the Fayard said he sent a Mayday
Mack Johnson, a toolpusher-equip- rig. They examined the leg and as far distress signal immediately after
ment overseer-was on the rig when it as I know, they didn't think it was rushing to the deck and ordered all life-
toppled 12 miles south of Galvaston. He anything to get concerned about." saving equipment overboard.
'No nukes' coalition
plans demonstrations
LANSING (UPI) - Lawmakers
created a special committee to probe
Michigan's atomic power industry
yesterday, while leaders of the state's
anti-nuclear movement announced a
series of demonstrations beginning
next month in Monroe.
The state House gave final legislative
approval to the nuclear investigation by
accepting minor Senate amendments to
a resolution creating a 10-member joint:
study committee.
The panel likely willbe chaired by
Rep. Mark Clodfelter (D-Flint), an out-
spoken critic of nuclear power.
It could begin work as early as next
week and is expected to produce a
report by the end of the year.
MEANWHILE, LEADERS of a
coalition of anti-nuclear groups
outlined their plans which include a
June 2 demonstration at Detroit Edison
Co.'s unfinished Fermi II nuclear plan
near Monroe, an October rally in Lan-
sing and a protest at next year's
Republican National Convention in
Detroit.
The more than 60 groups, now called
the Michigan No Nukes Coalition,
organized last month's demonstration
which drew a record 5,000 protestors
to the site of Consumer Power Co.'s
unfinished nuclear plant near Midland.
Spokesmen said they expect more
than 2,000 to attend the Monroe protest
and it may even outdraw the Midland
march.
ALTHOUGH THAT march sparked a
local counter-demonstration, coalition
spokesmen claim they will have at sub-
stantial number of supporters in
Monroe.
Problems experienced with the
original Fermi plant have left area
residents jittery about a new one, they
claimed.
Ron Wilson of the Public Interest
Research Group in Michigan claimed
Edison has overestimated the growth in
electric power demand and does not
need the Fermi plant.
NUCLEAR FOES have planned "a
number of demonstrations over the
coming year to call attention to our goal
of bringing an end to nuclear power in
Michigan," said Michael Moore,. a
coalition spokesman.
Moore said the coalition chose the
Republican convention as a target
because the next president "is going toi
be one of the major decision-makers."
"If that person is going to be a
Republican, we definitely want to have
some sort of impact," he said.
THE SPECIAL legislative committee
is charged with studying the health
hazards posed by nuclear power, the
reliability of safety and evacuation
systems, the alternatives to nuclear
power and their economic consequen-
ces and the feasibility of phasing out
existing plants.
Clodfelter said he has serious
questions about nuclear power and
plans to look closely at the operation of
atomic plants in this state. But he
denied he has preconceived ideas about
the outcome of the investigation.
Michigan has operating nuclear plan-
ts at Bridgman, Charlevoix and South
Haven.
ANTI-NUCLEAR DEMONSTRATORS protested Detroit Edison's unfinished
nuclear plant near Monroe in April. A coalition of anti-nuclear groups is planning
another demonstration at Fermi 2 on June 2.
Committee says House
ean diseipline Diggs
(ContinuedfromPage3)
"They are in effect saying this House
is incapable of punishing for miscon-
duct that becomes the subject of
criminal prosecution," Committee
Counsellor William Goeghegan said.
Goeghegan pointed out delays for a
pending criminal investigations, grand
jury indictment, trial and appeal would
almost always prevent the House from
disciplining a member until after he is
reelected to a new session of Congress.
"WHILE THE people have the right
to elect, this House has the obligation to
maintain its own integrity," Goeghegan
said.
Rep. Bob Livingston, (R-La.), asked
what congressional session, if any,
could discipline a member for prior
criminal conduct after he is reelected.
"No Congress," Barnett said. "It
would be left to trial. The criminal
process is devastating. I'm not saying
let a man go free."
REP. MORGAN Murphy, (D-Ill.),
expressed sympathy for Diggs'
position.
Three Democrats, Reps. John Mur-
tha, Pa.; Morgan Murphy, Ill.; and
John Slack, W. Va., voted for delay.
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