Originally published on April 20, 2021 4:31 am
The Coast Guard has suspended search and rescue operations for the remaining Seacor Power crew.
The Seacor Power lift boat capsized eight miles south of Port Fourchon on April 13 with a crew of 19 people. The commercial vessel encountered hurricane-force winds and turbulent seas while en route to an oil rig near the mouth of the Mississippi River.
Six people were rescued alive that day, and five bodies have been recovered in the days since, including one found on Sunday. That leaves eight crew members still missing in a mission that is shifting from search-and-rescue to recovery.
Coast Guard to suspend efforts at sunset Monday; Seacor will continue search
Gerald Herbert/AP
The capsized lift boat Seacor Power is seen seven miles off the coast of Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico Sunday, April 18, 2021. The vessel capsized during a storm on Tuesday, killing four, with nine still missing, and six rescued. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
By: KATC Staff
and last updated 2021-04-19 16:52:14-04
The United States Coast Guard search and rescue effort for eight men still missing in the gulf will end Monday at sunset, Coast Guard officials say.
The Coast Guard, National Transportation Safety Board, and Seacor Marine gave an update Monday on the response efforts for the capsized Seacor Power.
/ The Coast Guard has been searching for survivors after the Seacor Power capsized April 13. Six were rescued the day of the incident, and five bodies have been recovered in the days since. There are currently eight people missing.
The Coast Guard will suspend search and rescue operations for the remaining Seacor Power crew at sunset tonight, sector commander Capt. Will Watson said Monday afternoon.
The Seacor Power lift boat capsized eight miles south of Port Fourchon on April 13 with a crew of 19 people. The commercial vessel encountered hurricane-force winds and turbulent seas while en route to an oil rig near the mouth of the Mississippi River.
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the Seacor lift boat that capsized off the coast of Lafourche Parish last Tuesday. Eight of the nineteen crew members remain missing. NTSB investigator Andrew Ehlers said the investigation can take anywhere from 12 to 24 months.
“We focus on getting the answers right and making sure that we support the families, and that we prevent an accident like this from happening again,” said Ehlers.
Ehlers said the investigation will focus on three factors to determine the cause of the accident.
“The people involved, both at sea and ashore. We’ll be looking at the vessel and equipment, and we’ll be looking at the conditions that were there on the day of the accident,” said Ehlers.
U.S. Coast Guard /
The Coast Guard has suspended search and rescue operations for the remaining Seacor Power crew.
The Seacor Power lift boat capsized eight miles south of Port Fourchon on April 13 with a crew of 19 people. The commercial vessel encountered hurricane-force winds and turbulent seas while en route to an oil rig near the mouth of the Mississippi River.
Six people were rescued alive that day, and five bodies have been recovered in the days since, including one found on Sunday. That leaves eight crew members still missing in a mission that has shifted from search-and-rescue to recovery.