VIDEO: One dead, 12 missing following lift boat capsize

Written by Nick Blenkey
Capsized SEACOR Power on the evening of the accident, with a Coast Guard response boat in the foreground. [U.S. Coast Guard photograph]

Capsized SEACOR Power on the evening of the accident, with a Coast Guard response boat in the foreground. [U.S. Coast Guard photograph]

The Coast Guard is continuing to search for possible survivors following the capsizing yesterday of the 129-foot SEACOR Marine lift boat SEACOR Power in a storm, when it was 8 miles south of Port Fourchon, La.

Coast Guard watchstanders received an emergency distress signal from the lift boat at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday and then issued an urgent marine information broadcast.

The pre-commissioned Coast Guard Cutter Glenn Harris, a 154-foot Fast Response Cutter, arrived on scene within 30 minutes and rescued one person from the water. Multiple good Samaritan vessels rescued four people and a Coast Guard Station Grand Isle 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boatcrew rescued another. Multiple good Samaritan vessels responded.

This morning, the Coast Guard said six of the crew of 19 had been rescued, one crewmember had died and 12 are missing.

Capt. Will Watson, commander Coast Guard Sector New Orleans, told a news conference that poor weather conditions were making the search difficult but that it was possible some of the crewmembers could still be trapped on the crippled vessel.

The SEACOR Power departed from Port Fourchon about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, about 90 minutes before National Weather Service forecasters warned of high winds and severe marine conditions for the area, said Watson.

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