The U.S. Coast Guard on Monday suspended the search for missing crewmembers of a commercial lift boat that capsized off the coast of Louisiana last week.
The Seacor Power tipped about 8 miles south of Port Fourchon, La. into the Gulf of Mexico. Rescuers saved six crewmembers from the water hours after the ship went down last Tuesday. The bodies of four other crewmembers were discovered in the days that followed.
Eight were still missing by Monday.
“Our crews searched continuously over the past six days with the hope of bringing the missing crewmembers home to their loved ones,” Coast Guard Capt. Will Watson, commander of Coast Guard Sector New Orleans, said Monday.
The heavy rain and wind believed to be the culprit behind the accident also hampered search and rescue efforts throughout the week. The storm brought waves as high as 9 feet. Divers on Friday suspended search efforts for several hours due to dangerous weather, according to the Coast Guard.
The search, which included Coast Guard boats and aircrews, local crews, and good Samaritan vessels, covered more than 9,200 square nautical miles.
The investigation of the incident by the National Transportation Safety Board is underway. The agency is requesting any eyewitnesses contact officials with their account.
