Update: 6/1/2019
The Coastguard called off the search on Friday 5/31/2019′
The Coast Guard used 21 assets to search approximately 3,701 square miles over 56 hours.
The incident happened aboard the Renaissance Offshore’s Eugene Island 331 platform, 170 miles southwest of New Orleans.
According to BSEE, the man – a night-time production operator – was identified as missing from the platform during morning rounds last week.
“The personnel onboard noticed a section of grating displaced in the upright position with the missing person’s hardhat and clipboard next to the grating in the wellbay deck. The open hole measured approximately 93-inches long by 13-1/2 inches wide and was approximately 45 feet [13.7 meters] to the water’s surface. Preliminary information indicates that prior to the incident the wellbay deck area was taped off with red “DANGER” tape, but the area was not hard barricaded to prevent the flow of personnel.”
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Original story
By Rachael Thomas | May 29, 2019 at 3:11 PM CDT – Updated May 29 at 5:34 PM
NEW ORLEANS (WAFB) – The U.S. Coast Guard is currently searching for a worker who reportedly fell off an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico.
The incident happened about 75 miles off Vermilion Bay on Wednesday, May 29. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans watchstanders were notified around 6:30 a.m. by workers at the Eugene Island 331 platform that a 54-year-old man from Renaissance Offshore’s Eugene Island 331 platform somehow ended up in the water.
The following agencies or groups are involved in the search:
- Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-65 Dolphin aircrew
- Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew
- Coast Guard Cutter Mako boat crew
- Platform operators
The cause of the incident remains under investigation.