1988 the piper alpha drilling platform in the north sea is destro 07 06
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1988 38 years ago Historical Events July 6 2 sources

The Piper Alpha drilling platform in the North Sea is destroyed by explosions and fires. One hundred sixty-seven oil workers are killed, making it the world's worst offshore oil disaster in terms of direct loss of life.

On July 6, in the year 1988, The Piper Alpha drilling platform in the North Sea is destroyed by explosions and fires. One hundred sixty-seven oil workers are killed, making it the world's worst offshore oil disaster in terms of direct loss of life. This event is recorded as a Historical Events event in the history of July 6, one of 400 recorded events on this date across all of history.

Piper Alpha was an oil platform located in the North Sea about 120 miles (190 km) north-east of Aberdeen, Scotland. It was operated by Occidental Petroleum and began production in December 1976, initially as an oil-only platform, but later converted to add gas production.

Key Facts

  • This event took place on July 6, 1988 (AD era).
  • It is categorised as a Historical Events event in recorded history.
  • Referenced in 2 Wikipedia articles.
  • The event is associated with a specific geographical location (see map below).
  • Wikipedia source last updated on 22 June 2026.

On This Date in History 400

Type Year Date Event
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Notable Deaths 2022 Jul 6 Arnaldo Pambianco, Italian former professional road racing cyclist (born 1935)
Notable Deaths 2022 Jul 6 Norah Vincent, American writer (born 1968)
Historical Events 2021 Jul 6 An Antonov An-26 operating as Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Air Flight 251 crashes on approach to Palana Airport, killing…
Notable Deaths 2020 Jul 6 Charlie Daniels, American singer-songwriter, fiddle-player and guitarist (born 1936)
Notable Deaths 2020 Jul 6 Mary Kay Letourneau, American child rapist (born 1962)
Notable Deaths 2020 Jul 6 Ennio Morricone, Italian composer, orchestrator, conductor, and trumpet player (born 1928)
Notable Deaths 2019 Jul 6 Cameron Boyce, American actor (born 1999)
Notable Deaths 2019 Jul 6 João Gilberto, Brazilian singer-songwriter and guitarist, pioneer of bossa nova music style (born 1931)
Notable Deaths 2018 Jul 6 Shoko Asahara, founder of Japanese cult group Aum Shinrikyo (born 1955)
Notable Deaths 2015 Jul 6 Jerry Weintraub, American film producer, and talent agent (born 1937)
Notable Deaths 2014 Jul 6 Alan J. Dixon, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 34th Illinois Secretary of State (born 1927)
Historical Events 2013 Jul 6 At least 42 people are killed in a shooting at a school in Yobe State, Nigeria.
Historical Events 2013 Jul 6 A Boeing 777 operating as Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crashes at San Francisco International Airport, killing three and…
Historical Events 2013 Jul 6 A 73-car oil train derails in the town of Lac-Mégantic, Quebec and explodes into flames, killing at least 47 people…
Notable Deaths 2013 Jul 6 Lo Hsing Han, Burmese businessman, co-founded Asia World (born 1935)
Selected Events 2013 Jul 6 Gunmen attacked a secondary school in Mamudo, Yobe State, Nigeria, killing 42 people, mostly students.
Selected Events 2013 Jul 6 In the first fatal accident involving a Boeing 777 airliner, Asiana Airlines Flight 214 (wreckage pictured) crashed on…
Notable Deaths 2012 Jul 6 Hani al-Hassan, Palestinian engineer and politician (born 1939)
Notable Deaths 2011 Jul 6 Carly Hibberd, Australian road racing cyclist (born 1985)
Notable Deaths 2010 Jul 6 Harvey Fuqua, American singer-songwriter and producer (born 1929)
Notable Deaths 2009 Jul 6 Vasily Aksyonov, Russian author and academic (born 1932)
Notable Deaths 2009 Jul 6 Robert McNamara, American businessman and politician, 8th United States Secretary of Defense (born 1916)
Selected Events 2009 Jul 6 Jadranka Kosor became the first female prime minister of Croatia.
Notable Deaths 2007 Jul 6 Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, American author (born 1939)
Historical Events 2006 Jul 6 The Nathu La pass between India and China, sealed during the Sino-Indian War, re-opens for trade after 44 years.
Notable Deaths 2006 Jul 6 Kasey Rogers, American actress (born 1925)
Selected Events 2006 Jul 6 A gunman killed an 18-year-old man and injured six other people in a mass shooting on Cabildo Avenue in Buenos Aires,…
Notable Deaths 2005 Jul 6 Ed McBain, American author and screenwriter (born 1926)
Notable Deaths 2005 Jul 6 Claude Simon, Malagasy-French novelist and critic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1913)
Notable Deaths 2004 Jul 6 Thomas Klestil, Austrian politician, 10th President of Austria (born 1932)
Notable Deaths 2004 Jul 6 Syreeta Wright, American singer-songwriter (born 1946)
Historical Events 2003 Jul 6 The 70-metre Yevpatoria Planetary Radar sends a METI message (Cosmic Call 2) to five stars: Hip 4872, HD 245409, 55…
Notable Deaths 2003 Jul 6 Buddy Ebsen, American actor, singer, and dancer (born 1908)
Notable Deaths 2003 Jul 6 Çelik Gülersoy, Turkish lawyer, historical preservationist, writer and poet (born 1930)
Notable Deaths 2002 Jul 6 Dhirubhai Ambani, Indian businessman, founded Reliance Industries (born 1932)
Notable Deaths 2002 Jul 6 John Frankenheimer, American director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1930)
Notable Births 2000 Jul 6 Zion Williamson, American basketball player
Notable Deaths 2000 Jul 6 Władysław Szpilman, Polish pianist and composer (born 1911)
Notable Deaths 1999 Jul 6 Joaquín Rodrigo, Spanish pianist and composer (born 1901)
Historical Events 1998 Jul 6 Hong Kong International Airport opens in Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong, replacing Kai Tak Airport as the city's…
Notable Births 1998 Jul 6 Comethazine, American rapper
Notable Deaths 1998 Jul 6 Roy Rogers, American cowboy, actor, and singer (born 1911)
Historical Events 1997 Jul 6 The Troubles: In response to the Drumcree dispute, five days of mass protests, riots and gun battles begin in Irish…
Notable Deaths 1997 Jul 6 Chetan Anand, Indian director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1921)
Selected Events 1997 Jul 6 The Troubles: In response to the Drumcree conflict, five days of unrest began in nationalist districts of Northern…
Historical Events 1996 Jul 6 A McDonnell Douglas MD-88 operating as Delta Air Lines Flight 1288 experiences a turbine engine failure during takeoff…
Historical Events 1995 Jul 6 In the Bosnian War, under the command of General Ratko Mladić, Serbia begins its attack on the Bosnian town of…

This article draws on content from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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