Update (Sunday, April 18): The U.S. Coast Guard, National Transportation Safety Board, and Seacor Marine are scheduled to update media Monday on the response efforts for the capsized Seacor Power. The update will take place at 1 p.m. central, Monday April 19, 2021, at the Greater Lafourche Port Commission in Cut Off, Louisiana.
Update (9:25 a.m. CDT, April 17): Seacor contracted commercial divers from Donjon Marine continued diving operations on the Seacor Power lift boat until 1 a.m. when weather exceed safety parameters. Diving operations have resumed this morning.
Update (8:30 p.m. CDT, April 16): Commercial divers hired by Seacor recovered 2 unresponsive crewmembers from the Seacor Power. Divers will continue searching overnight.
Out of respect for privacy of the family members involved, the Coast Guard is not releasing the names of those rescued, recovered or missing.
“Our deepest sympathy goes out to the family, friends and loved ones of everyone involved in this tragic incident,” said Capt. Will Watson, commander of Coast Guard Sector New Orleans. “We are using every asset available to us to continue our search efforts.”
April 16: The U.S. Coast Guard reports the recovery of a second unresponsive person in the water near the capsized SEACOR Power lift boat 8 miles south of Port Fourchon.
A Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew spotted the person in the water at 7:10 p.m. Thursday evening while searching the area.
The victim was recovered by the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Benjamin Daily and transported to Coast Guard Station Grand Isle where a coroner pronounced the man deceased.
The name of the man recovered Thursday night or the other mariners involved in the incident have not been released by Coast Guard.
Meanwhile, divers returned to the scene at 7:50 a.m. this morning to conduct an assessment and began dive operations. Divers had to resurface mid morning due to dangerous weather conditions, but resumed diving again around 1:30 p.m. Friday.
The Coast Guard reported Thursday afternoon that divers knocked on the hull of the SEACOR Power yesterday and did not hear a response.
Six people were rescued after the SEACOR Power lift boat capsized on Tuesday around 4:30 p.m. approximately 8 miles south of Port Fourchon during severe weather. One deceased victim was later recovered and 12 were reported missing.
The search is continuing involving multiple air and sea assets from the Coast Guard, local and state authorities and private entities.
“We’re deeply saddened by the news of the vessel capsizing and are working closely with the U.S. Coast Guard and local authorities to support all efforts to locate our valued team members and partners,” the lift boat’s operator, SEACOR Marine, said in a statement on Thursday. “We would like to thank the U.S. Coast Guard and Good Samaritan vessels for their immediate response, as well as the brave individuals who have further supported our search and rescue efforts. Our hearts and prayers go out to everyone involved.”
Rescue assets involved in the search so far:
- the pre-commissioned Coast Guard Cutter Glen Harris crew
- Coast Guard Cutter Amberjack crew
- Coast Guard Cutter Moray crew
- Coast Guard Cutter Benjamin Dailey crew
- Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew
- Coast Guard Station Grand Isle 45-foot RB-M boatcrews
- Coast Guard Air Station Corpus ChristiHC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane crews
- Two Coast Guard Aviation Training Center MobileHC-144 Ocean Sentry airplanes crews
- Two Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater HC-130 Hercules airplane crews
- Two Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile MH-60 Jayhawk helicopters
- Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries crews
- Port Fourchon Harbor Patrol
- Port Fourchon Sherriff’s Department
- Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office
- One commercial air medical service crew
- Donjon Marine commercial divers
Weekly Insights from the Helm
Dive into a sea of information with our meticulously curated weekly “Dispatch” email. It’s more than just a newsletter; it’s your personal maritime briefing.