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Accidents

Seacor Power (2021)

On 13 April 2021, the U.S.-flag liftboat Seacor Power was underway about 7 miles off Port Fourchon, Louisiana, when it encountered a severe thunderstorm. Nineteen people were aboard, including 11 crew members and 8 offshore workers. The weather included heavy rain, winds exceeding 80 knots and 2- to 4-foot seas. Search and rescue conditions became more difficult after the capsizing as winds of 30 to 40 knots and seas that quickly built to 10 to 12 feet persisted. Seacor Power capsized at about 15:37 local time. Six people were rescued. Six fatally injured people were recovered, while seven others were never found and were presumed dead. The NTSB injury table records four additional injuries among survivors, including two serious and two minor injuries. The report identifies Seacor Power as a 2002-built offshore vessel of 2,276 gross tonnage, 50.7 metres length overall and 31.4 metres beam. The NTSB determined that the probable cause was a loss of stability after severe thunderstorm winds struck the vessel and exceeded its operational wind-speed limits. The speed and angle of the capsize made escape difficult and contributed to the loss of life. High winds and seas after the capsize hampered rescue efforts. The report valued the vessel at USD 25 million and classified it as a total constructive loss. The reported seven missing people remain distinct from the six recovered fatalities in the page metadata.

Classification

FieldValue
Incident TypeCapsize not girding
SeverityHigh
Investigation BodyNTSB

Vessel Details

FieldValue
Vessel NameSeacor Power
Vessel NamesSeacor Power
Vessel TypeOffshore Vessel
Flag StateUnited States [US]
IMO Number8765682
Gross Tonnage2276
LOA (m)50.7
Breadth (m)31.4

Incident Details

FieldValue
Date2021-04-13
RegionUnited States
LocationAbout 7 miles off Port Fourchon, Louisiana, United States
Coordinates28.9000, -90.0000
Fatalities6
Injuries4
Missing7
Direct Damage
Economic DamageUSD 25 million

Key facts

  • Nineteen people were aboard: 11 crew members and 8 offshore workers.
  • Seacor Power capsized in a severe thunderstorm with winds exceeding 80 knots, heavy rain and 2- to 4-foot seas.
  • Six people were rescued, six fatally injured people were recovered and seven people were never found and were presumed dead.
  • Four survivors sustained injuries, including two serious and two minor injuries.
  • The NTSB determined that severe thunderstorm winds exceeding the vessel's operational wind-speed limits caused a loss of stability.

Narrative

On 13 April 2021, the U.S.-flag liftboat Seacor Power was underway about 7 miles off Port Fourchon, Louisiana, when it encountered a severe thunderstorm. Nineteen people were aboard, including 11 crew members and 8 offshore workers. The weather included heavy rain, winds exceeding 80 knots and 2- to 4-foot seas. Search and rescue conditions became more difficult after the capsizing as winds of 30 to 40 knots and seas that quickly built to 10 to 12 feet persisted. Seacor Power capsized at about 15:37 local time. Six people were rescued. Six fatally injured people were recovered, while seven others were never found and were presumed dead. The NTSB injury table records four additional injuries among survivors, including two serious and two minor injuries. The report identifies Seacor Power as a 2002-built offshore vessel of 2,276 gross tonnage, 50.7 metres length overall and 31.4 metres beam. The NTSB determined that the probable cause was a loss of stability after severe thunderstorm winds struck the vessel and exceeded its operational wind-speed limits. The speed and angle of the capsize made escape difficult and contributed to the loss of life. High winds and seas after the capsize hampered rescue efforts. The report valued the vessel at USD 25 million and classified it as a total constructive loss. The reported seven missing people remain distinct from the six recovered fatalities in the page metadata.

Sequence of events

Date/timeEvent
2021-04-13 afternoonSeacor Power encountered a severe thunderstorm while underway off Port Fourchon.
2021-04-13 about 15:37 localThe liftboat lost stability and capsized.
After the capsizeSix people were rescued, six fatally injured people were recovered and seven remained missing.
Following the casualtyThe vessel was classified as a constructive total loss valued at USD 25 million.

Contributing factors

FactorEvidence statusDescription
Severe thunderstorm winds above operational limitsConfirmed findingThe NTSB determined that the vessel lost stability after being struck by winds exceeding its operational wind-speed limits.
Speed and angle of the capsizeConfirmed findingThe way the vessel capsized made egress difficult and contributed to the loss of life.
High winds and seas during rescueConfirmed findingConditions after the capsize hampered rescue efforts and contributed to the loss of life.

Investigation

The National Transportation Safety Board investigated the casualty in Marine Investigation Report MIR-22/26. It determined that the probable cause was a loss of stability caused by severe thunderstorm winds above the vessel's operational limits. The report also identifies the speed and angle of the capsize and the severe post-capsize rescue conditions as factors in the loss of life. It records six recovered fatalities, seven missing people presumed dead and four survivor injuries.

References

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