Unfortunately, yet another liftboat has capsized in heavy seas off the coast of Louisiana. The Seacor Power, a 129-foot liftboat out of Port Fourchon, left port with a complement of 18 crewmembers on Tuesday the 13th. As of this morning, six crew members have been rescued, leaving rescuers to search for the remaining 12 who, as of this writing, have not been accounted for.
New Orleans Experiences “Wake Low” Water Phenomenon
While the capsizing’s exact cause has yet to be determined, the weather is believed to be a cause of this latest liftboat disaster. That’s because New Orleans and the Gulf Coast experienced a phenomenon known as a “wake low” on Tuesday afternoon.
When a wake low occurs, it produces high winds and rough seas due to extremely low pressure. According to Benjamin Schott, the meteorologist at the New Orleans National Weather Service office, the wake low on Tuesday was especially potent, spawning 70 to 80 mph winds.
An Exclamation Point on the Dangers Liftboat Crewmembers Face
This latest liftboat disaster puts an exclamation point on the fact that maritime workers on liftboats face incredibly high risk while on the job. Over the last decade, there have been several high-profile liftboat accidents, including:
- November 18, 2019- The liftboat Ram XVIII capsizes.
- February 15, 2017- The liftboat Superior Trust experiences a power failure.
- September 8, 2019- The liftboat Kristin Faye capsizes.
- April 13, 2021- The Seacor Power capsizes.
The danger of working on a liftboat, or any other massive maritime vehicle, is plain to see. The current disaster example of the tragedy that can strike for offshore workers.
