The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has confirmed that four people have been killed in a fishing boat accident on the Gulf of Mexico. At least one person was injured in the accident.
According to the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the vessel left a marina in south Louisiana on Saturday evening, but soon the boat engine went out. The fishing vessel began taking on water, and soon capsized. Four people died, while one survived the accident.
According to the lone survivor, the others died from hypothermia. They had not been able to wear their life jackets, and quickly became unresponsive. The survivor escaped with his life because he was able to climb on top of the capsized vessel and avoid hypothermia. The crew of an oil rig supply vessel found the lone survivor, and he was rushed to a Coast Guard hospital. He has not suffered major injuries. The bodies of the survivors were found floating nearby. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is investigating this maritime accident. Efforts to recover the boat are still on.
Investigators are focusing on failure to wear life jackets as a possible reason for the multiple fatalities in this accident. The boat capsized in a matter of seconds, and crewmembers simply did not have enough time to wear their life jackets.
As maritime lawyers, we have seen our share of maritime fatalities that could have been averted through the use of life jackets. Life vests may be bulky, but may be the only chance standing between you and certain death during a maritime accident. However, investigations are likely to also focus on mechanical malfunctioning of the boat as a factor in this accident.
