A senior executive at BP, who lived in London, was among those who died in the attack on the Algerian gas plant, adding to suggestions that the terrorists may have had inside information.
Carlos Estrada, who had worked for the company for 18 years and risen to be vice–president, lived with his wife and family in an exclusive flat in Chelsea, West London.
Sources told The Daily Telegraph that Mr Estrada, who was born in Bogota, Colombia, made no more than one or two visits to the site a year and was likely to be accompanied by other senior executives.
He is thought to have died in the initial attack on a bus carrying workers to the airport to leave the plant on Wednesday, in which Paul Morgan, the plant's British head of security, also died.
Mr Estrada was said to be head of "non–operated assets" in Europe and North Africa, meaning he was in charge of oil drilling partnerships not operated by BP.
He was in overall charge of the joint–venture which is operated by BP in association with Statoil of Norway and Sonatrach of Algeria.
Mr Estrada's wife and BP declined to comment.
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