2021 — April 13, liftboat (platform) Seacor Power capsizes off Port Fourchon, LA — 13

–13 NOLA/Gagnet. “Remembering…victims of…Seacor Power lift boat disaster…” 4-20-2021.

Narrative Information

April 14, KHOU: “HOUSTON — One person died and 12 others remain missing after a liftboat capsized off the Louisiana coast, the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed. Six people were rescued shortly after the vessel Seacor Power capsized. At a Wednesday morning press conference, Coast Guard Captain Will E. Watson said the weather conditions when the boat capsized were very ‘challenging,’ but he stopped short of speculating on what caused the incident. [Was enroute to Main Pass 138, in the Gulf, about 40 miles east of Venice, Louisiana; was to deliver equipment to an oil platform near the mouth of the Mississippi River. ]

“The boat is owned by Houston-based Seacor Marine, which Watson said is working to contact and help impacted families.

“The Coast Guard and several good Samaritan vessels continued their search and rescue efforts in the Gulf of Mexico, just miles south of Port Fourchon….

“According to MarineTraffic.com, the vessel left port around 2:12 p.m. A source tells WWL-TV that the Seacor Power capsized shortly after 4 p.m. A Coast Guard Fast Response Cutter was on the scene within 30 minutes, according to authorities.

“Watson said at the time of the incident, there were 80- to 90-mph-winds, seven- to nine-foot seas with “extremely limited visibility.” Watson said forecasters knew there would be poor weather off the coast Tuesday, but they did not expect it to be as bad as it was….

“Liftboats are large platform vessels used to transport crews and equipment to and from oil rigs in The Gulf.” (KHOU 11, Houston (Doug Delony). “1 dead, 12 still missing after boat capsizes off Louisiana coast, US Coast Guard confirms.” 4-13-2021, updated 4-14-2021.)

April 15, AP: “Associated Press. Port Fourchon, LA (AP) — With 12 people still missing from a capsized oil industry vessel, Coast Guard divers waited for a break in stormy weather Thursday that would allow them to reach the hull and search for survivors. Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan Lally said rescuers don’t know whether any of the missing might be caught inside the lift vessel that flipped over Tuesday in hurricane-force winds and high seas off the Louisiana coast….The Coast Guard expects the divers to make it to the vessel today, but the safety of the rescuers is also a factor, he said….

“Part of the overturned ship’s hull and one of its legs were still visible, leaving most of the bulky vessel underwater, in an area 50 to 55 feet (15 to 17 meters) deep, according to the Coast Guard. Also called a jackup rig, it has three long legs designed to reach the sea floor and lift it out of water as an offshore platform….” (Associate Press. “Divers air to reach capsized vessel in search for survivors.” OA online, 4-15-2021.)

April 16, Daily Mail and Associated Press: “Photos have emerged of some of the 12 missing crew members who could be trapped inside a capsized liftboat off Louisiana, as the Coast Guard prepares to make a last-ditch rescue attempt. Divers searching for the missing oil industry workers prepared to enter the overturned vessel on Friday [16th], a rescue effort complicated by daunting technical challenges and continued bad weather….

“The disaster on the Seacor Power has brought attention to the little-known liftboat, a specialized design with a history of safety problems in foul weather. A liftboat is a self-propelled, self-elevating vessel with a large open deck capable of carrying equipment and supplies, used mainly in mineral exploration and offshore construction. Liftboats are equipped with legs that can be lowered down to the sea floor, rapidly raising the hull clear of the water to provide a stable platform for oil exploration or even maintenance on the vessel itself. The Seacor Power had three extendible legs, and was equipped with two cranes and a helicopter pad.

“The first liftboat was designed in 1955 by brothers Lynn and Orin Dean in Violet, Louisiana. In 1950 the Dean brothers owned a repair service for cars, boats and farm equipment called Universal Repair Service, which became their liftboat firm EBI, Elevating Boats LLC. EBI operates 30 liftboats that service the shallow, oil-rich waters of the Gulf of Mexico from their liftboat dock in Houma, Louisiana.

“The Seacor Power was owned by Seacor Marine, and had a maximum working depth of 195 feet.

“The vulnerabilities of liftboats in storms have been known for years, and federal authorities have investigated multiple deaths on them.

“Four people on board the Trinity II died in September 2011 in the Gulf of Mexico when large waves struck its hull.

“Then in July 1989 a liftboat sank [Avco 5] off the coast of Louisiana in storms associated with Hurricane Chantal. Ten [or 13] of the 14 people on board died….” (Daily Mail/Keith Griffith) and Associated Press. “Pictured: Members of the 12 missing crew on 129-foot liftboat that capsized off Louisiana coast who could still be trapped Inside as Coast Guard prepares last-ditch rescue effort.” 4-16-2021.)

April 16, MarineLog (Nick Blenkey): “In an update released Friday evening, the Coast Guard reports that divers from Donjon Marine Company who were diving on the capsized Seacor Power lift boat had recovered two more unresponsive people. That brings the number of fatalities confirmed in the incident to four. [Anthony Hartford, 53 of New Orleans, and James Wallingsford, 55 of Gilbert, LA. ]

“….According to local media, the Lafourche Parish Coroner’s Office has identified the crewmember whose body was first recovered from the water as David Ledet, 63, of Thibodaux, La., the vessel’s captain…. [The second body was found 33 miles away from the site. ]

[Besides Captain Ledet one of the other fatalities was identified as Earnest Williams, 69. ]

“Owner May Seek To Limit Liability

“Thus far, there appears to have been no public statement on the incident from the lift boat’s owner, SEACOR Marine Holdings Inc. (NYSE:SMHI). Law firms believe it likely the owner will file a Limitation of Liability complaint to limit its damages in connection with the capsized vessel. The Limitation of Shipowners’ Liability Act allows a vessel owner to limit its liability for damages to the value of the vessel involved in the occurrence. Paul T. Hofmann, a partner in law firm Hofmann & Schweitzer, points out that the act limits the shipowner’s liability to the value of the vessel after the event. In this case, the value of the lift boat will be zero. According to VesselsValue, prior to the capsize the SEACOR Power had a value of $1.71 million.” (MarineLog/Nick Blenkey. “Updated: SEACOR Power death toll grows.” 4-16-2021.)

April 16, NOLA.com: “….The weather was relatively clear when the jack up boat left, but an hour into the trip, forecasters warned that there would be tropical-storm caliber winds and potentially deadly waves in the area where the crew was headed. Those winds turned out to be much stronger than forecast. The Seacor Power took on water, turned over on its starboard side and sank around 4:30 p.m., setting off a frantic rescue effort entering its fourth day Friday.

“….Two of the rescued were among five who were on the Seacor Power’s hull late Tuesday night, Coast Guard officials said. Two jumped off the hull and were rescued. A third who fell in the water has not been located, according to the Coast Guard. The other two on the hull went back inside, and there was optimism as of Friday that they may be alive in an air pocket waiting to be rescued, possibly with others. Divers tapped on the ship’s hull Thursday but received no response…” (Nola.com/John Simerman and Ramon Antonio Vargas. “Seacor Power divers ‘hopeful’ to rescue crew alive by using access points on vessel.” 4-16-2021.)

Nov 20, NOLA.com: “Five people were killed and eight others are missing and presumed dead after the lift boat Seacor Power capsized April 13 during a storm in the Gulf of Mexico. Six other crew members were rescued from the water by the Coast Guard, which continued searching for days after the disaster to rescue or recover additional crew.

“On Monday [19th], the Coast Guard announced it was suspending its search and rescue operations. Private search crews — funded by the vessel’s owner, Seacor Marine — will continue searching.

“The Seacor Power’s crew hailed from across Louisiana, and one missing crew member is from Texas. Here is who they were, and how family, friends and community members have remembered them….]

[Victims named in article.]
Bodies recovered
1. Capt. David Ledet, 63, of Thibodaux
2. Earnest Williams, 69, of Arnaudville
3. Anthony Hartford, 53, of New Orleans
4. James “Trach” Wallingsford, 55, of Gilbert, Louisiana
5. Lawrence Warren, 36, of Terrytown
Missing, presumed dead.
6. Dylan Daspit, 30, of Breaux Bridge
7. Jay Guevara, of Lafayette
8. Quinon Pitre, 31, of the Lawtell area
9. Chaz Morales, 37, of Slidell
10. Gregory Walcott, 62, of Abbeville
11. Jason Krell, of Texas
12. Darren Encalade, of Belle Chasse
13. Cooper Rozands, of Houma

Sources

Associate Press. “Divers air to reach capsized vessel in search for survivors.” OA online, 4-15-2021. Accessed 4-15-2021 at: https://www.oaoa.com/news/business/divers-aim-to-reach-capsized-vessel-in-search-for-survivors/article_f83a48c6-53b9-5aad-99eb-d57fa7a2099a.html

Daily Mail/Keith Griffith) and Associated Press. “Pictured: Members of the 12 missing crew on 129-foot liftboat that capsized off Louisiana coast who could still be trapped Inside as Coast Guard prepares last-ditch rescue effort.” 4-16-2021. Accessed 4-16-2021 at: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9478929/PICTURED-Members-12-missing-crew-Seacor-Power-lift-boat-capsized-Louisiana.html

Foxnews.com (Peter Aitken). “Coast Guard recovers 2 more bodies off Louisiana coast following Seacor Power disaster.” 4-17-2021. Accessed 4-17-2021 at: https://www.foxnews.com/us/coast-guard-recovers-2-bodies-louisiana-seacor-power

Freightwaves.com (Noi Mahoney). “2 more bodies recovered after Seacor Power capsizing.” 4-17-2021. Accessed 4-17-2021 at: https://www.freightwaves.com/news/2-more-bodies-recovered-after-seacor-power-capsizing

KHOU 11, Houston (Doug Delony). “1 dead, 12 still missing after boat capsizes off Louisiana coast, US Coast Guard confirms.” 4-13-2021, updated 4-14-2021. Accessed 4-14-2021 at: https://www.khou.com/article/news/national/boat-capsizes-grand-isle-louisiana/285-f5820a56-8c17-4704-88b4-92bb01cefe03

MarineLog/Nick Blenkey. “Updated: SEACOR Power death toll grows.” 4-16-2021. Accessed 4-17-2021 at: https://www.marinelog.com/offshore/seacor-power-another-body-recovered/

NOLA.com (Kayla Gagnet). “Remembering the victims of the Seacor Power lift boat disaster the Gulf of Mexico.” 4-20-2021. Accessed 4-20-2021 at: https://www.nola.com/news/article_d29fb86e-a20e-11eb-8631-a78635aa0df0.html

Nola.com (John Simerman and Ramon Antonio Vargas). “Seacor Power divers ‘hopeful’ to rescue crew alive by using access points on vessel.” 4-16-2021. Accessed 4-17-2021 at: https://www.nola.com/news/article_a6e3077a-9ed1-11eb-9155-2369bd36de3a.html

WBRZ 2, Baton Rouge. “All four crew members confirmed dead after liftboat catastrophe identified; Nine missing.” 4-17-2021. Accessed 4-17-2021 at: https://www.wbrz.com/news/all-four-crew-members-confirmed-dead-after-liftboat-catastrophe-identified-nine-missing