One dead, 12 missing as liftboat capsizes
Seacor Marine’s liftboat SEACOR Power has capsized 8 miles south of Port Fourchon, Louisiana. According to the US Coast Guard, one person has died, six have been rescued, and search efforts continue for the remaining 12 crew members, Offshore reports.
The US Coast Guard received an emergency distress signal at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday from a commercial lift boat and then issued an urgent marine information broadcast (UMIB). Multiple good Samaritan vessels responded to the UMIB.
A fast response coast guard cutter arrived on scene within 30 minutes and rescued one person from the water. Multiple good Samaritan vessels rescued four people and another coast guard response vessel rescued another.
According to Offshore, on Wednesday, Captain Will Watson, sector commander for the New Orleans’ Coast Guard, said Seacor confirmed the 39m liftboat departed Port Fourchon at 1.30 pm en route to Main Pass. “At the time of the incident on scene weather conditions were challenging,” he said. “80-90 mile per hour winds, 2-3m seas, and extremely limited visibility.”
“We have been getting so many calls from folks in the maritime industry that want to get involved. It has been tremendous. Both on surface assets as well as their assets,” Watson said. “They are wanting to get involved in the effort. We are happy to be coordinating with those folks. So, I want to say thank you to those folks personally.”
The Seacor Power remains overturned on its starboard side, partially submerged and grounded in 17 m of water.
