Thursday, July 28 2005 10:09 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Eight persons were confirmed dead and 22 still missing in yesterday's (July 27, 2005) devastating fire at an Oil and Natural Gas Corporation's (ONGC) oil platform off the Mumbai coast, Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar said here today (July 28, 2005).

"I can confirm that eight persons are dead and 22 still missing. We have rescued in all 348 people so far and efforts are on to rescue and locate the missing " he told PTI.

Aiyar said he is accompanying Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Mumbai, to make a first-hand assessment of the situation and oversee relief and rescue operations. "I am travelling with the Prime Minister on a special aircraft but will stay back to oversee the operations there," he said.

Aiyar said the injured, who are very few in number, were being treated at naval hospital ship and he may visit that vessel also later in the evening.

Of the rescued people, 129 are being brought to the Mumbai port later this afternoon (July 28, 2005) even as Navy and Coastguard continue to look after them.

"I will be making a suo motu statement on the accident in Parliament this morning (July 28, 2005)," Aiyar said, adding he and the Prime Minister are likely to leave for Mumbai at 1:00 PM.