Whiddy Island disaster
The Whiddy Island disaster, also known as the "Betelgeuse" incident, occurred on 8 January 1979, around 1:00 am, when the oil tanker "Betelgeuse" exploded in Bantry Bay, at the offshore jetty for the oil terminal at Whiddy Island, Ireland. The explosion was attributed to the failure of the ship's structure during an operation to discharge its cargo of oil. The tanker was owned by Total S.A., and the oil terminal was owned and operated by Gulf Oil.

The explosion and resulting fire claimed the lives of 50 people (42 French nationals, seven Irish nationals, and one British national). Only 27 bodies were recovered. A further fatality occurred during the salvage operation with the loss of a Dutch diver.
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oil tanker
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Whiddy Island
LOC
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oil
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Total S.A.
ORG
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Gulf Oil
ORG
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French
Concept
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Irish
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British
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Dutch
Concept
Q780440
Whiddy Island disaster
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8 January 1979
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