KIELLAND-NETTVERKET
All parties in the Storting, except the 'governing parties' Labour Party and Conservative Party, supported us. We are incredibly disappointed with the latter, especially the Labour Party, which governed the country from 1976 to 1981, i.e., when everything failed around the Kielland workers. Perhaps the worst for us is that the platform was never approved as living quarters and therefore should not have been out with people on March 27, 1980. This is very painful for our members to accept.
Welcome from the Chairman
The Storting (Norwegian Parliament) decided on June 5th that survivors and relatives of the Kielland disaster will receive state compensation. This is a historic decision, and after 45 years, truth and justice will finally prevail. Responsibility has been assigned!
But now we put the pain aside and thank all our supporters, with the RED party and Mímir Kristjánsson at the forefront, who have driven our case forward among the elected representatives.
We also thank Professor Marie Smith-Solbakken and her research team from UiS for their tireless efforts.
We have also had excellent (the country's best?) supporters and advisors backing us, with lawyer Lars Tormodsgard from Sands at the forefront, along with senior advisor Leif Monsen from First House. They have seen the job as a social responsibility, and we have felt strong together with them.
Although, in our opinion, it is completely unnecessary to send the two investigations, from UiS and NKVTS, to the Office of the Auditor General, we now know that compensation and final reconciliation await us at the other end. We on the board promise to keep our focus on this goal.
What will happen to the Kielland network now? We wish to 'just' be the Kielland network support group, if we could finally get some state funding for this, as certain other support groups have received, even with fixed posts in the state budget...
We applied for the Health Directorate's grant scheme, with the NKVTS recommendation, but were rejected. We then appealed all the way to Health Minister Vestre, but again received an unfounded rejection. Nevertheless: We will never give up on this!
But now we should all relax and celebrate ourselves a little. We thank each other, and all the members, for great support and motivation.
Thank you to all 40 of you who were with us at the Storting on this day we will never forget!
June 5, 2025, became our day - finally! Hooray!"
Anders Helliksen, survivor and chairman of the Kielland network.
6th of June 2025
Alexander Kielland disaster March 27 1980
On March 27, 1980, the oil platform “Alexander L. Kielland” capsized. This was the largest industrial accident in Norwegian history, 123 people died, of whom 30 were never found and 89 survived with physical and/or mental injuries. Several hundred children lost their father.
Facts about the Alexander L. Kielland accident:
123 died 89 survived.
Alexander L. The Kielland platform sank at a depth of 700 meters in the Nedstrandsfjorden on November 18, 1983.
The Kielland disaster occurred on March 27, 1980, on the Ekofisk field in the North Sea. One of the rig's five legs fell off, and after only 20 minutes the platform was upside down in rough seas. 123 people lost their lives and 89 survivors were marked for life. 30 of the dead were never found.
The cause of the accident, according to the investigation commission, was a fatigue fracture in a support strut in the platform's load-bearing structure. This caused one of the five pillars (platform legs) with a pontoon (floating element) that supported the platform to break off. After about 20 minutes, the platform capsized.
After several attempts to turn the rig, it was turned over in September 1983, and six of the then 36 missing people were found aboard the rig after it was stabilized on September 12.
The composition and work of the Commission of Inquiry have subsequently been heavily criticized. Several, including the Office of the Auditor General, believe it is reprehensible that the authorities involved Det Norske Veritas in both the investigation work and the operation to turn the rig around, as they were a party to the case – and because their independence could thus be questioned.
In addition, criticism has been raised from various circles against the commission's lack of analysis of how various factors and conditions interacted during the course of events. Among other things, this criticism concerns the lack of assessment of stability after water ingress through open doors and hatches that should have been closed, and the significance this had in causing the rig to capsize after only 20 minutes.
ABOUT US
THE KIELLAND-NETWORK!
The Kielland Network is the support group for survivors and bereaved of the Kielland disaster in 1980, working for the best possible health and quality of life for the Kielland victims. We also seek government compensation and answers to unknown circumstances surrounding the incident and responsibility.
THE BOARD
* Anders Helliksen, chairman and suvivor
* Merete Haslund, deputy chairman - lost her father
* Gudny Hansen, lost her father at Kielland
* Jorunn Birkeland, trade union NITO
* Roy Erling Furre, trade union SAFE
* Åse Kringlebotn, responsible for member relation
NEWS
Press Release from Six Labor Organizations – June 1, 2025
The Kielland victims must receive their rightful compensation – 45 years is enough!
It has been over 45 years since the accommodation rig Alexander L. Kielland capsized at the Ekofisk field in the North Sea on March 27, 1980. 123 people lost their lives, and 89 survived under dramatic circumstances, marked for life.
Six labor organizations are behind this press release. Together, we represent nearly 440,000 members. A large proportion of these work within the oil industry or in connection with this industry. We support the Kielland victims in their demand for rightful compensation from the state. We also refer to hearing statements and joint letters to the Labor and Social Affairs Committee sent on May 12, 2025.
It is gratifying that there now appears to be a majority in the Storting in support of the Kielland victims! This is an important milestone for everyone working in the petroleum and other high-risk industries, and of course, especially joyful for the bereaved and survivors of the Kielland disaster!
As the Kielland Network states in its press release:
"We have worked for many years for truth, justice, and reconciliation, and now it finally looks like we are being heard. We are so grateful to the members of parliament who have shown responsibility and humanity in this matter, and we are happy that there now appears to be a majority for a compensation scheme," says Anders Helliksen, a survivor of the Kielland accident and chairman of the Kielland Network.
We note a desire for the Office of the Auditor General, based on the research report from the University of Stavanger, to "assess whether there are new elements that change the conclusions from the previous investigation by the Office of the Auditor General." Such an assessment can certainly be made, but in our view, this is a completely separate matter that concerns the need for a new investigation or not. Such a process at the Office of the Auditor General must not become a delay or an obstacle to the rapid establishment of a compensation scheme! It is urgent, 45 years is enough!
We also note that the Labour Party and the Conservative Party will not support a compensation scheme at this time. It is disappointing; we had really hoped that the entire Storting could stand behind support for the Kielland victims. But it is not too late to change, and we hope that individual representatives from these parties will be given the freedom to vote with both their heads and hearts in this matter.
Many of the Storting's representatives come from municipalities that were strongly affected by the Kielland disaster. They should listen extra carefully to the joint statement from 13 coastal municipalities that were particularly hard hit by Norway's largest industrial accident. The 13 municipalities together represent 70 of the families who lost their loved ones on March 27, 1980. Give them and the other Kielland families a voice on June 5, 2025!
Sincerely: NITO - Norwegian Engineers and Technologists Organization, Safe Union, Fellesforbundet, Strength Union, EL & IT Union, and the Leaders Union.
MEMBERSHIP
100 NOK for survivors, their family members, widows and children, with their family members (more if you can).
SUPPORTING MEMBER
We are very grateful that you want to support us.
250 NOK but more if you can!
PAYMENT
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or
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Greetings THE BOARD
Sannhet, forsoning, respekt, åpenhet og fellesskap på tvers av politisk ståsted og livssyn.