A ten-day public hearing into the sinking of the Seacor Power on April 13 off the coast of Port Fourchon, Louisiana, resulting in the deaths of 13 people, has ended.
But while the US Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board may have concluded the formal public hearing proceedings, the Marine Board of Investigation says that this does not end their work.
Information will now be analysed and a report published.
The hearings included evidence from 31 witnesses – from the first mate and a contractor who was onboard when the vessel capsized, to the National Weather Service, among others.
According to gCaptain, witnesses provided testimony into the conditions influencing the vessel prior to and at the time of the casualty, training, Seacor Power’s material condition, and the regulatory compliance record of the vessel.
At the time of the accident, vessels in the area had reported heavy rain, winds exceeding 80 knots, and building seas.
Search and rescue efforts were hampered by 30–40-knot winds and 10–12-foot seas that persisted throughout the evening and into the next day.
There were 19 crew members on board. Six were initially rescued and six were recovered unresponsive during the search and rescue. Seven were never found.
