Norway offshore platform rescue operation: the Dutch contribution
On 27 March 1980, the Royal Netherlands Navy destroyer HNLMS Overijssel was at sea not far from IJmuiden when it received the order to head to the scene of the disaster. The ship arrived at the scene on 28 March and its crew was tasked with directing the efforts of other surface ship crews to find survivors.
Search operation
A few who had been on the Alexander L. Kielland managed to swim to the nearby Edda drilling platform. Dozens of other survivors were rescued from the water. The Overijssel returned to the Netherlands a day later because of a lack of fuel. The Norwegians ended the search operation not long thereafter.