Oil rig worker killed in Gulf of Mexico diving accident

A diver was killed last week while performing maintenance on a Chevron oil rig.

Chris Hollifield, 33, of Spartanburg, South Carolina was employed by Veolia Environmental Services. Hollifield was on a month-long diving trip off the Gulf Coast where he performing maintenance on an oil rig that was not related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. He was working from a Normand clipper vessel at a depth of approximately 250 feet. The accident happened on Friday, June 2, 2010, the last day of Hollifield’s trip to the Gulf.

An underwater explosion occurred at about 11:30 a.m. Hollifield did not survive. The cause of the deadly explosion is under investigation.

This incident and the BP oil spill highlight the dangers that oil rig workers face every day. When a life is lost at sea, the family may have a claim under maritime law.

Hollifield leaves behind a wife and an unborn child. The maritime injury attorneys at The Young Firm offer the family our condolences.