Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which agency is investigating the worker missing from the Valeris 121 rig.

On 26 January 2023, the Liberian Registry notified the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) that at about 1900 hours on 22 January a UK national had been discovered as missing from the Liberian flagged Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit Valaris 121 while 98 miles east of Aberdeen. Valaris 121 was under tow at the time, so this constitutes a marine accident in accordance with the International Maritime Organisation’s Casualty Investigation Code. As the accident occurred outside UK territorial waters, the Liberian Registry has commenced a marine safety investigation as the Flag State for Valaris 121 in accordance with Casualty Investigation Code. The MAIB has registered the UK as a Substantially Interested State in the Liberian investigation and has offered support.