THE family of an oil rig worker who died in the Alexander Kielland disaster have had his passport returned 44 years later.
Keith Hunter, of Distington, was killed when part of the oil rig capsized in the North Sea, off the coast of Norway on March 27, 1980.
The 34-year-old was one of 123 men who died in the tragedy. No one has been held responsible for the accident.
Keith’s sons, Wayne and Alan Hunter have been fighting for justice along with other families from the UK who lost loved ones in the disaster.
They have met with members of The Kielland Network – a group of survivors and bereaved family members – who are calling for a new inquiry to be held after a number of flaws were highlighted with the Norwegian inquiry, which was held behind closed doors.
During a visit to Norway last year, the brothers were given a photocopy of their dad’s passport – which they had never seen before – by a university student who was studying the disaster.
The family have now had the passport returned to them by the Norwegian police national archives.
Wayne said: “It was emotional to get it back after all that time. The first thing I did was smell it for some reason. I phoned my dad’s sister and she was just overwhelmed. That’s all she’s got back in 44 years.
“We have been fighting to get the original. I went to the police national archives in Stavanger and they wouldn’t give me it until I had signatures from my siblings.
“It came in the post with a letter, saying we apologise for the delay. It felt like a part of him had finally come home, considering we haven’t got a grave to visit. That’s the closest thing to my dad that we’ve had back.”
Alan said: “It’s good to get it back but 44 years down the line. We should have got that back when my nanna and granda were still alive. It would have made them feel better. It’s strange they have kept hold of it all this time.
“To me, that’s the last thing my dad put into his locker before the rig went down. The passport is back home in Distington now where he was born and bred.
“We won’t get any closure until we get justice for my dad and the lads who were killed.”
Keith’s sister, Lynne McAllister, said: “I was pleased to get it back but I was heartbroken that they had kept it all these years and my parents should have had it. They’re both gone now. They didn’t last long after Keith died. I think the whole thing finished them off.”
Mrs McAllister said the day after the disaster her dad had been working at Marchon and was unaware the oil rig had capsized until someone told him at work.
He had then gone to The Whitehaven News office and asked the editor, who he knew, if it was true – and was devastated to discover that it was.
Mrs McAllister added: “They didn’t get him back. My mam was hoping against hope that he was going to come home. He was their only son and he was their everything.
“Every time they rang to say they had found somebody, I was praying it was him. It was traumatic. His kids were only young. You’re just in limbo.”
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