$25M suit blames energy, boat companies in fatal capsizing

  • 📰 AP
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 67 sec. here
  • 3 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 30%
  • Publisher: 51%

United States News News

United States United States Latest News,United States United States Headlines

The widow of one of 13 people killed when an oil industry boat capsized in the Gulf of Mexico last week alleges that an energy company and a lift boat operator 'put money over his life.' She's filed a $25 million lawsuit.

A rescue boat is seen next to the capsized lift boat Seacor Power seven miles off the coast of Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico Sunday, April 18, 2021. The vessel capsized during a storm on Tuesday.

Haspit filed suit Wednesday in Texas state court in Houston. Vercher, suing on behalf of herself and Guevara’s child, sued Friday. Both suits, filed by attorney Francis Spagnoletti, fault Talos Energy as well as lift boat operator Seacor Marine LLC and its affiliate Seacor Lifftboats LLC for the fatal accident.

The lawsuits involve issues likely to be critical in a National Transportation Safety Board investigation, which is expected to take as long as two years, and in litigation. They include the role of the weather in the capsizing, whether the vessel should have put to sea despite forecasts of storms and who should be held responsible.

“The Seacor Power was in port for service and inspections for several days prior to its departure,” the company said Saturday in answer to a query by The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate. “The vessel was not at a Talos facility and was fully under the command of its captain and Seacor Marine, including when to depart the port.” The statement was confirmed Friday by spokesman Brian Grove.

Still, there was no indication before the boat’s departure at 1:30 p.m. of the winds in excess of 80 mph , which are well beyond hurricane strength, and waves 7 to 9 feet high that the Coast Guard said the boat encountered about the time it overturned after 4 p.m.

 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.

Wow. Well this is weirdly quick. The boating accident JUST happened a little over a week ago, so there has been no investigation to even rule out an operator error. Definitely a money grab.

Oil companies only exist to put money over lives.

The moment a family member dies in an accident they need millions in compensation. Why? She or the victim probably wouldn’t have made a million dollars in their lifetime.

We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 728. in US

United States United States Latest News, United States United States Headlines