AN OIL worker from the Highlands has died in an accident in a Norwegian port.
Thirty-seven-year-old pipe-fitter Raymond Urquhart had been living in Kristiansund on the western coast of the country since the summer.
He died in a fall, and although the exact circumstances of his death were not clear last night the incident did not happen at his work.
Mr Urquhart was employed by major international welding and fabrication firm Serimax.
His parents, Nigel and May, who stay in Alness, said his death was a “tragic accident” but were too upset to speak about what had happened yesterday.
Mr Urquhart is also survived by his younger sister Morag O’Connor and his niece Darcie.
The former Alness Academy and Inverness College UHI student travelled to Norway in August as part of his job with the global welding company, which he had worked for since 1994.
Serimax vice-president for the Northern Europe region, David MacKay, who is based at the firm’s north office in Evanton and knew Mr Urquhart personally, paid tribute to him last night.
He said: “We were very saddened to hear that Raymond had died.
“It was a non-work-related incident and we are thinking of his family at this sad time.
“He was a valued, long-standing employee who was a friend to everyone that worked with him. He was a really good guy.”
Relative Chelle Urquhart paid tribute on an online social networking site.
She said: “He will be deeply missed, such a nice guy, always saw the good in people and had such a nice nature. The nicest guy you could meet.”
Friend Mel Hutchison wrote: “Love ya Ray, was a pleasure to know you. Like your sister said earlier we could all do with a Raymond in our lives because you were special and still are, only now you are in our hearts.”
His funeral will be held at Alness Parish Church on Wednesday at 10.30am and afterwards at Alness Cemetery.
Donations will be collected for charity Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland.
A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: “We were informed of the death of a British national in Norway and we are providing consular assistance to the family at this difficult time.”
Kristiansund is a major oil and gas centre on Norway’s mid north-western coast.
Both Shell and Statoil have offices in the city from where they serve their offshore installations at Haltenbanken, one of the most northerly subsea oil and gas provinces in the world.
Mr Urquhart died on October 27.