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Disaster at Sea: The Piper Alpha Story

  • TV Mini Series
  • 2025
  • 58m
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
45
YOUR RATING
Disaster at Sea: The Piper Alpha Story (2025)
DocumentaryHistory

On 6 July 1988, fire engulfed Piper Alpha, killing 167 men. With dramatic testimony and emotional interviews, this is the minute-by-minute story of that night and the search for truth.On 6 July 1988, fire engulfed Piper Alpha, killing 167 men. With dramatic testimony and emotional interviews, this is the minute-by-minute story of that night and the search for truth.On 6 July 1988, fire engulfed Piper Alpha, killing 167 men. With dramatic testimony and emotional interviews, this is the minute-by-minute story of that night and the search for truth.

  • Stars
    • Michael MacKenzie
    • Nicholas Boulton
    • Terence Rae
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.0/10
    45
    YOUR RATING
    • Stars
      • Michael MacKenzie
      • Nicholas Boulton
      • Terence Rae
    • 1User review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Episodes3

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    TopTop-rated1 season2025

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    Michael MacKenzie
    • Lawyer
    • 2025
    Nicholas Boulton
    Nicholas Boulton
    • Bob Ballantyne
    • 2025
    Terence Rae
    • Ian Fowler
    • 2025
    John Walker Gray
    John Walker Gray
    • Andy Mochan
    • 2025
    Stevie Raine
    Stevie Raine
    • Geoff Bollands
    • 2025
    Craig Barclay
    • Mark Reid
    • 2025
    George Prentice
    George Prentice
    • Ed Punchard
    • 2025
    Joshua Manning
    • Alex Clark
    • 2025
    Matt Avery
    • Alastair Letty
    • 2025
    Scott Coker
    • Konrad Wottge
    • 2025
    Sam Garioch
    Sam Garioch
    • Alex Rankin
    • 2025
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews1

    8.045
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    8paul2001sw-1

    Serious not showy

    Piper Alpha was an oil rig in the North Sea that caught fire with disastrous consequences. A public enquiry blamed lax safety practices, tacitly allowed by a government that was far too cosy with an industry that was vital to the public finances. Perhaps unsurprisingly, whle the government accepted the report's recommendations, the company that owned the rig was never prosecuted. This series combines a reconstruction of events on the rig and at the enquiry with contemporary interviews with survivors and others affected. It's not a showy series, but it's a serious one, and ultimately makes one feel both sad and angry. And yet there is a silver lining. The programme's final conclusion is that it's not accidental there have been no similar incidents since. It remains an outrage that we had to have this one first.

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    • Release date
      • August 24, 2025 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Official sites
      • BBC programme page
      • BBC Scotland programme page
    • Language
      • English
    • Production companies
      • BBC Studios Specialist Factual Productions
      • BBC Studios
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

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    • Runtime
      • 58m
    • Color
      • Color

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