The United States Coast Guard announces it is suspending surface search and rescue efforts Monday evening.
At a press conference, Coast Guard Sector New Orleans Commander, Captain Will Watson says the Coast Guard will suspend their search for the remaining eight missing crew members of the Seacor Power.
The National Transportation Safety Board is now working on the investigation as 17 commercial divers are currently searching inside and outside of the partially submerged lift boat.
“While our search efforts continue even now, we had to make the difficult decision to suspend search and rescue efforts at sunset today,” said Captain Watson. “But with that said, our focus now will begin to shift. We will continue to support and enforce the safety zone that protects the dive operations within the Seacor Power, and we will begin to give our full support to the National Transportation Safety Board, who will look into the ‘hows’ and ‘whys’ of what happened here.”
LIVE: Coast Guard gives update on capsized boatThe Coast Guard is giving an update on the search for 8 crewmembers still missing after the SEACOR Power capsized in the Gulf of Mexico last week
Posted by WWLTV on Monday, April 19, 2021
The President and CEO of Seacor Marine, John Gellert says he and Coast Guard officials had an emotional meeting with the families of the dead and missing crew members.
“It is very emotional, families continue to have hope and prayers, and we would like everyone to continue their thoughts and prayers for the families still missing,” said Gellert.
Gellert says the search now shifts to recovery efforts, which will be led by Seacor Marine's salvage contractor, Don John Smith, and a dive team from Maryland-based Phoenix International.
When asked why the lift boat would sail in such dangerous sea conditions, Gellert said, “I can’t speculate, there were warnings, but they were not warning of the magnitude that which we had encountered. The investigation will further that.”
He says the decision to sail lies with the lift boat captain. “The Go, No Go decision is entirely the captain’s,” said Gellert. “The captain has full control of the vessel. The vessel is owned by Seacor Marine. He had our support for his decision to sail and we have no reason to believe that there was…the weather forecasted to encounter was well within the limits of the vessel, and the weather they ultimately encounter was well beyond the forecast, as far as we know.”
Gellert adds he is very confident that the captain of the lift boat would not have sailed if he had any doubt as to the safety of the mission. Eight people remain missing, five bodies were recovered and six people were rescued since the capsize six days ago.
