The Piper Alpha oil rig exploded and collapsed – and I made a desperate 175ft jump into the sea

<p>In July 1988, the North Sea oil platform ignited. As it melted around him, Joe Meanen knew there was only one possible, but highly perilous, way out for him</p><p>It took Joe Meanen about six seconds to hit the North Sea, after jumping 175ft (53 metres) off the burning wreckage of the Piper Alpha oil platform. The fall seemed to last for ever, during which time, he says, his first thought was: “What the fuck have I done?”</p><p>Piper Alpha stood about 120 miles off Aberdeen, on the north-east coast of Scotland. On 6 July 1988 it <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/jul/04/piper-alpha-disaster-167-oil-rig">suffered multiple catastrophic explosions</a> and collapsed, killing 167 of the 228 men on board, and a further two men from the rescue crew.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/oct/28/the-piper-alpha-oil-rig-exploded-and-collapsed-and-i-made-a-desperate-175ft-jump-into-the-sea">Continue reading...</a>