SEACOR Power Update – One Year Since the Seacor Power Capsized in the Gulf of Mexico
It’s been one year since the SEACOR Power capsized in the Gulf of Mexico, killing all 19 aboard. The oil and gas exploration vessel was heading towards the oil and gas lease area known as Main Pass Block 138. Despite the recent update, the situation remains grim. While the accident remains tragic, a number of factors have been identified and corrected to prevent a repeat of this type of tragedy. Read this update for more information.
Ida Duthu
During the storm, a liftboat captain named Ted Duthu shared footage taken during the downfall of Seacor Power. Duthu said winds reached 112 miles per hour. He said his crew found Seacor Power on its side and called mayday. The captain of the Rockfish was able to reach the shore and save the crew. The crew was able to find the Seacor Power after the storm stopped.
Ted Duthu, the captain of the Rockfish lift boat, was working for an oil company when the crew was asked to move the boat. The Seacor Power was moving out of Belle Pass in Bayou Lafourche. At the time of the move, the weather forecast had indicated a weak cold front which would pass quickly. Winds were expected to reach between twenty-five and thirty-two mph.
Duthu said he never heard the liftboat call for help
The captain of the Rockfish noticed the waves barreling over the rescue boat and quickly extended its legs into the seabed. As the water began to pour, the captain turned and saw the capsized Seacor Power nearby. He contacted Seacor Power and asked for assistance. Duthu never heard the liftboat call for help, but the incident has caused a stir.
The NTSB is leading the investigation into the incident. The agency will participate in a public hearing held by the Coast Guard and will issue its own report on the incident. The board is conducting interviews with captains of other lift boats that were in the area. It has also consulted with the Coast Guard, the owner and charterer, and the vessel inspectors and surveyors.
The survivors of the Seacor Power drifted in ten to twelve foot waves for three to four hours. The other crew members rescued them about four hours after the capsize. Despite the fact that the Coast Guard and the Donjon divers were involved, the five survivors were not located until hours after the accident. The Coast Guard searched more than nine hundred square nautical miles in search of the survivors. Duthu’s testimony at the hearing showed that the crew members who were rescued did not hear the liftboat call for help. The search for survivors continued well into the following morning. The Seacor Power is still missing seven crew members.
The Coast Guard is currently investigating whether the crew members of the Seacor Power lifted six people from the water and landed in the water. The company is cooperating with investigators in the case to determine the cause of the accident. If there is any evidence, the company will have to be held accountable for the deaths. It is the first time a commercial vessel has capsized in the Gulf of Mexico.
Ida Duthu says he saw the liftboat
In the video, Duthu claims to be in the Rockfish’s wheelhouse when he witnessed the accident. He was driving in the rain when he saw the Seacor Power capsize. After the incident, he said, he turned to his cabin and did not see anything else. He then called his boss and found out that Seacor Power was in trouble.
The Rockfish crew saw the Seacor Power flip over and was able to join the rescue. Duthu says he was lucky to have reached his destination on time, because if he had been 15 minutes later, he would have been stuck next to it. The Rockfish is now laying on its side next to the Seacor Power, and Duthu says he saw the liftboat at sea.
Ted Duthu, a captain on the nearby Rockfish and Seacor Power, says he saw the liftboat. According to Duthu, he had been asked to move the boat. He did so as Seacor Power was moving out of Belle Pass on Bayou Lafourche. A weather report said that there would be three to five feet of seas and winds between 25 and 30 mph.
The captain of the liftboat at Seacor Power says he saw it capsize. Duthu says he was lucky to get his boat’s legs under his own boat and notice the Seacor Power. Although his liftboat did not capsize, he says he saw it in the water near the site of Talos Energy drilling. Duthu’s testimony is part of an ongoing Coast Guard investigation.
Bryan Mires says he spent two to three hours in the churning Gulf of Mexico
Bryan Mires, 38, of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, is a survivor of the sinking of a lift boat. He has been working on lift boats since he was 18 and is now the first mate. His story has gained national attention after being shared with media partners. It is believed to be the first account shared by a survivor of the sinking.
Seacor Marine’s parent company testifies about delay in sending divers to the site of the capsized vessel
A representative of Seacor Marine’s parent company says the delays were due to the ship’s owner not requesting the assistance of a diving organization. The Coast Guard approved a plan to search the area but the ship’s parent company failed to send a diver to the site until a private helicopter rescue crew arrived. In the meantime, three men remained on deck.
The board of investigation heard testimony from survivors, a Coast Guard member, and a helicopter flight crew. Two naval architects shared their expertise on the regulations governing a vessel and the safety protocols for diving operations. However, the families of the crewmen still await answers. Hurricane Ida disrupted salvage operations. While the marine board will examine the Seacor Power and its owner’s conduct, a diver’s testimony is crucial.
The rescue crew did not receive warnings about the weather on April 13. The crew tracked the forecast on VHF radio and other gear. However, they were not aware of the sudden change in weather conditions. The crew called the company to seek updates. However, they were unaware of the changes in weather, so they did not receive a timely response to the situation.
The Seacor Power, a ferry that departed Port Fourchon on Tuesday afternoon, capsized in heavy weather eight miles off the coast of Louisiana. Six crew members were rescued and seven remain missing. The captain’s body has been found but one other crew member remains unaccounted for. One lifeguard’s hard hat was recovered near the capsized vessel. Phoenix International divers also participated in the search of the vessel.
