There was an accident in a salt mine on Avery Island (where Tabasco Sauce is made) earlier this month in which two salt miners lost their lives when the roof of the mine collapsed. It got me to thinking about an event nearby this that occurred back in 1980. On Jefferson Island, out on Lake Peigneur, a Texaco oil rig was drilling. Apparently, an engineering mistake was made that caused the 14 inch drill bit to puncture the shaft of the salt dome. This resulted in Lake Peigneur being sucked down into the earth. This area is absolutely gorgeous. Live Oak Gardens boasts ancient live oak trees draped in Spanish Moss and lush gardens.
Amazingly, no one lost their lives in this tragedy despite miners being 1300 feet beneath the earth's surface when the mine began filling with water, pulling the drilling rig, barges, and a tug boat down into the hole. I've posted a video below that describes and shows the accident. I especially enjoy the story that Mr. Viator tells of being on the lake fishing for catfish when the whirlpool started sucking his small boat into the vortex.
Click the arrow on the photo below to watch a very interesting VIDEO showing the event:
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