The lift boat Seacor Power capsized in the Gulf of Mexico yesterday. She had a crew of 19 on board when the incident occurred. 6 of the crew have been rescued so far, and search efforts continue for the missing personnel.
The oil rig service vessel had left Port Fourchon and was bound for a rig on the other side of the Mississippi delta when she encountered high winds and waves.
The capsizing of the 129-foot liftboat sparked a massive rescue operation by the U.S. Coast Guard and a fleet of good Samaritans. Less than a day after the vessel overturned, officials sought to maintain optimism that the missing could still be found.
“My heart and the collective heart of our team goes out to the families and to Seacor, but we’re giving it all we have,” Coast Guard Capt. Will Watson said at a news conference Wednesday.
Lift boats, also known as mobile offshore units or self elevating support vessels, are self propelled vessels with extendable legs. Once on station, the boats extend the support legs and elevate to the level of the oil platform they are servicing.
