Offshore oil disaster in Azerbaijan leaves 1 dead, 9 missing

BAKU, Azerbaijan — Azerbaijani oil officials say one worker has been killed and nine others are missing after part of their offshore oil installation broke off in strong winds.

The state oil company, known as SOCAR, reported that a 150-meter (490-foot) section of walkway fell into the Caspian Sea amid 90 mph (145 kph) winds and 10 workers were swept away Thursday.

President Ilham Aliyev’s office said in a statement that “the body of one of the missing has been found. Search and rescue operations are continuing.”

The company said five victims had been working on the installation and another five were in a cabin dislodged by the high winds.