Salvage crews have completed the removal of diesel fuel from SEACOR Power’s fuel tanks and are now ready to move to the salvage phase, focusing on removing debris and refloating the vessel, the US Coast Guard announced.
Crews removed approximately 20,363 gallons of diesel fuel from the liftboat SEACOR Power using the hot tapping method, which involves drilling into the fuel tanks, making a hose connection, and transferring the fuel to portable tanks.
Approximately 4,500 gallons of hydraulic fluid remain on the SEACOR Power. The tanks have not been compromised, but are currently inaccessible. The hydraulic fluid will be removed after the vessel is raised.
The timeline for the upcoming raising of the vessel depends on many factors, including primarily the safety of salvage crews, the weather, and addressing any new structural changes that may occur. The raising of the vessel is not expected to occur before June.
There is a Coast Guard safety zone covering a one nautical mile radius around the incident site in effect until June 15. There is also a Federal Aviation Administration temporary flight restriction covering a five nautical miles radius around the site, and a 2,000-foot minimum altitude around the site in effect until June 15.
The Seacor Power departed Port Fourchon at about 1:30 p.m. April 13, bound for the oil and gas lease area Main Pass Block 138 in the Gulf of Mexico, but capsized amid heavy weather. Six people survived and six died as a result, while seven remain missing.
The incident is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Coast Guard. The NTSB shared its preliminary report on the accident earlier this week.
