Two Wyoming drilling rig workers were killed in separate, unrelated accidents recently. Both accidents are under investigation by the Wyoming Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Sam Aurther, 56, of Lander, was killed June 23 while working on a rig drilling in the Black Mountain field near Thermopolis. He's been on the job for just two weeks but had 30 years of experience in the industry, according to King Brown, president of Range Drilling.

Eric Tuscan-Rice, Jr., 24, was killed June 24 when a pipe fell and struck him on the head, according to reports. The accident happened at about 1 a.m. on the north end of the Pinedale Anticline natural gas field.

Tuscan-Rice died at a clinic in Pinedale from head injuries. He worked for Nabors Drilling, a contractor for Shell Exploration and Production.

A Wyoming OSHA official said these were the first drilling fatalities in Wyoming since February 2007.