Louisiana capsizing – Coast Guard finds second crew member dead as 11 still missing after 129ft ship capsizes
A SECOND crew member from the capsized Seacor Power liftboat has been found dead in the Gulf of Mexico, as 11 others remain missing. The 129-foot commercial vessel capsized off the coast of Louisiana on Tuesday, when it was caught in a ferocious storm, facing giant waves and winds reaching 90mph. The Lafourche Parish coroner […]
A SECOND crew member from the capsized Seacor Power liftboat has been found dead in the Gulf of Mexico, as 11 others remain missing.
The 129-foot commercial vessel capsized off the coast of Louisiana on Tuesday, when it was caught in a ferocious storm, facing giant waves and winds reaching 90mph.
The Lafourche Parish coroner identified the deceased crew member as 69-year-old Ernest Williams from Arnaudville, Louisiana, according to local reports.
In a statement, the U.S. Coast Guard said the body was spotted by a helicopter around 7:10pm on Thursday, April 15, eight miles south of Port Fourchon.
Earlier in the week, the body of 63-year-old David Leder was discovered by U.S. Coast Guard rescue crews.
Six crew members were rescued after the ship capsized, but 11 remain missing.
CREW STILL MISSING
Despite harsh weather conditions, U.S. Coast Guard divers searching the area were able to make preliminary contact with the vessel on Wednesday.
When they reached the ship, there was no response from inside.
Divers resumed their search Friday morning, but had to resurface due to dangerous weather conditions.
The Coast Guard have said there is a possibility that some crew members may be alive inside an air pocket in the wreck.
Family members remain hopeful that may be the case, as earlier in the week, Lt. John Edwards with the US Coast Guard said that at least two crew members may still be inside.
According to WWL-TV, thermal imaging shot the night the ship capsized showed five people on the hull of the ship.
Edwards said that helicopters dropped life jackets and radios for those on the ship, with two crew members jumping off and being rescued by Coast Guard boats.
Two other members reportedly said they were heading back inside, last being heard from at 9:53pm on Tuesday night.
Marion Cuyler, who is engaged to missing crew member Chaz Morales, was praying for a rescue Thursday.
KEEPING FAITH
“I have a really good feeling today,” she told NOLA.com, adding that one of the rescued members told her the other members were still on board.
“The guy who got rescued said they are in there — all 12 should be in there in rooms waiting to be rescued,” she said.
Including Morales, four other crew members who were on the boat have been identified by family members and loved ones, according to The Advocate.
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The include Jay Guevara, of Lafayette; Gregory Walcott, 62, of Abbeville; Dylan Daspit, of Breaux Bridge; and Quinon Pitre, 31, of the Lawtell area.
The boat began to capsized on Tuesday, when Coast Guard crews said they faced waves seven- to nine-feet tall and winds of 80 to 90mph.
Nineteen people were reportedly on the ship when it began to capsize.
