Search efforts are continuing after a catastrophic capsizing in the Gulf of Mexico, which has now been declared a “major marine casualty.”
The Seacor Power, a a 129-foot commercial ship, was overturned in the middle of a vicious storm Tuesday with 19 people on board, though authorities still have not confirmed if weather caused the tragedy.
Six crew members were initially rescued on the open waters, and one person was found dead the following day. Families of the 12 remaining crew members are still waiting for news on their loved ones.
“While search efforts for the crew are continuing, the incident has been declared a major marine casualty,” said the Coast Guard in a press release. That service branch is “leading a preliminary investigation and the National Transportation Safety Board will be joining in that effort.”
David Ledet was identified Thursday as the person found unresponsive on the surface of the water, the Lafourche Coroner confirmed to NBC News. Ledet was the captain of the ship, according to Nola.com. A former crew member shared on social media that Ledet had over 15 years of experience.
A dive team is expected to go out Thursday in search of the remaining crewmen.
The Coast Guard could not confirm to NBC News whether or not a dive team had begun diving based on weather conditions and an initial assessment.
The Coast Guard said reports of reports of communication between emergency responders and members of the crew potentially on board in “air pockets” of the Seacor Power are unfounded.
“I’m scared and I’m devastated and I’m broken,” Darra Morales, whose son was aboard the ship, told NBC News. “I just want my son to come home to his children.”
Morales’ son is Chaz Morales, 37, a father of three, who she said is a crane operator for the Seacor Power.
“It shouldn’t have left,” said Marion Cuyler, Chaz’s fiance. “That’s what everybody is saying. Why did it leave? Who gave the orders for this boat to leave in this type of weather? Gale force winds, it shouldn’t have left.”
Cuyler said Chaz has been working as a crane operator for almost 20 years. The couple was texting throughout the day and talked about how badly the weather had deteriorated.
“They knew the weather was bad, obviously, it was bad out here that day,” Cuyler said.
Chett Chiasson, the executive director of Port Fourchon, said “no one could have predicted 110 mph winds coming our way when there’s not a hurricane in the Gulf.”
Chiasson described the marine community here as “brethren,” and when a wave of Mayday calls came in Tuesday afternoon, he said it was no surprise that private boats and Good Samaritans jumped in to help, ultimately leading in the rescue of several stranded crew members.
As for the ongoing search and rescue efforts, the “Coast Guard air and surface assets continued to search overnight, and the search will continue throughout the day,” the branch said.
Coast Guard crews have searched for a combined 70 hours covering approximately 6,380 square miles, “an area roughly the size of Hawaii,” according to the latest Coast Guard press release.
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch in effect through Saturday morning for portions of Southeast Louisiana, keeping conditions a challenge for rescue teams.
Seacor did not respond to multiple NBC News requests for comments.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
