Coast Guard crew throw a heaving line at the Seacor Power Thursday during rescue operations at the site of the overturned liftboat, eight miles south of Port Fourchon.

UPDATED 8:40 p.m. 4/16/21 — Two more people were recovered from the capsized Seacor Power liftboat south of Port Fourchon Friday, according to a U.S. Coast Guard press release.

Seacor contracted commercial divers from Donjon Marine Company who were diving on the capsized Seacor Power liftboat Friday when they recovered 2 more unresponsive people.

That brings to four the number of people recovered from the tragedy so far. Six people were rescued Tuesday when the vessel capsized in heavy seas and freakishly high winds. Nine people are still missing.

Out of respect for privacy of the family members involved, the Coast Guard is not releasing the names of those rescued, recovered or missing.

“Our deepest sympathy goes out to the family, friends and loved ones of everyone involved in this tragic incident,” said Capt. Will Watson, commander of Coast Guard Sector New Orleans. “We are using every asset available to us to continue our search efforts.”

Divers are continuing to work into the night as long as weather permits.

PREVIOUS STORY — Divers are again in the water at the site of an overturned liftboat south of Port Fourchon where searchers recovered the body of a second victim Thursday night.

The Lafourche Parish Coroner’s Office has confirmed that the body recovered is that of Ernest Williams, 69, of Arnaudville. 

According to a U.S. Coast Guard press release, a helicopter operating out of the Coast Guard Training Center in Mobile, Ala. spotted a person in the water at 7:10 p.m. while searching the area.

Crew from a nearby Coast Guard cutter recovered the unresponsive person near Cocodrie, some 33 miles west of the Seacor Power site, and transported him to Coast Guard Station Grand Isle.

Earlier on Thursday, the first casualty of the incident, David Ledet, 63, of Thibodaux, the captain of the Seacor Power, was recovered. His death was confirmed on social media and through multiple media outlets.

At least one Teche Area native, Dylan Daspit of Delcambre, is among those listed as missing. Friends and family gathered at the Shrimp Festival grounds in Delcambre Thursday night to pray for Daspit’s safe return.

The liftboat overturned when heavy seas and winds of 80 to 90 miles per hour swept through the Gulf of Mexico Tuesday. It capsized in about 50 to 55 feet of water and is currently aground, a portion of the hull still exposed above the surface of the Gulf.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, there were 19 people on board the vessel when it capsized. Six were rescued Tuesday. Eleven are still missing. When divers were able to work at the site Thursday, they knocked on the hull of the boat but were not able to hear any response.

The boat was on its way to Main Pass 138, 40 miles east of Venice, when it flipped over.

Divers returned to the scene at 7:50 a.m. Friday to conduct an assessment and began dive operations, but had to resurface mid morning due to dangerous weather conditions. They resumed diving again around 1:30 p.m.