Coast Guard to convene public hearing into capsizing of SEACOR Power

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Coast Guard is scheduled to conduct a formal public hearing starting Monday, Aug. 2 in Houma, La., to consider evidence related to the capsizing of the liftboat SEACOR Power and the loss of 13 of its 19 crewmembers.

The hearing will take place at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel in Houma, and the event is open to the public. Individuals who cannot attend the hearing in person may watch online at: https://livestream.com/uscginvestigations 

The hearing sessions will also be archived on the livestream website so the public can view them at a later time.

Seacor Power
A U.S. Coast Guard response boat heads toward the capsized SEACOR Power on April 13 south of Port Fourchon, La. U.S. Coast Guard photo

The hearing is scheduled to convene daily at 8 a.m. Central Daylight Time on weekdays, Aug. 2 through Aug. 13.

Maritime Commons, the Coast Guard blog for maritime professionals, will provide hearing updates at www.mariners.coastguard.blog and via Twitter @maritimecommons with the hashtag #SEACORPowerMBI.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is the leading agency in the SEACOR Power investigation. The agency will participate in the Coast Guard public hearing but will produce an independent report with its own findings.

Anyone wishing to provide information that may assist the investigation and the public hearing can submit that information via email to: accidentinfo@uscg.mil

SEACOR Power capsized on April 13 approximately 7 miles south of Port Fourchon, La., in the Gulf of Mexico with 19 crewmembers aboard. Six crewmembers were initially rescued, and six were recovered unresponsive during the course of the response. Coast Guard boat and air crews, local agencies and good Samaritans searched for a cumulative 175 hours, covering more than 9,200 square nautical miles over the course of six days before suspending the search for the remaining seven crewmembers on April 19.

Information related to this investigation and public hearing will be posted to the following website as it becomes available: https://www.news.uscg.mil/News-by-Region/Headquarters/SEACOR-Power/

– U.S. Coast Guard

By Professional Mariner Staff