US oil exploration company Mariner Energy saw its share price drop on Thursday as reports began to surface of an explosion on another oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Vermillion Oil rig 380 platform, near to the location of BP’s ill-fated Deepwater Horizon rig had 13 people working on the rig at the time.

It is understood that these individuals were thrown in the sea.

The blast was reported at around 0930 am (Central Daylight Time) and seven helicopters and two aeroplanes have been dispatched to the site positioned just off the central Louisiana coast.

The latest incident follows the explosion of BP’s Deepwater Horizon rig in April, which sent the oil company’s share price tumbling as costs for the clean up operation became apparent.