COCODRIE, La. — At a staging area in Cocodrie, a map of the Louisiana coastline lays out where search crews are, where they’ve been and where they’ve yet to go
“The Gulf of Mexico is pretty big. There are thousands of islands out here. They could be anywhere,” said volunteer searcher Sergio Curvelo.
After signing in, volunteer search crews are getting out on the water, trying to find the seven missing crew members of the Seacor power.
The lift boat capsized off the coast of Port Fourchon more than two weeks ago during severe weather. Of the 19 crew members on board, six were rescued, six died and seven are still missing.
“My motivation is just to help families,” said Curvelo.
Curvelo drove in from Sarasota County, Florida. With a background as a first responder, his non-profit, Urban Search & Rescue, is joining forces with other volunteers who’ve been working nonstop since the coast guard suspended its search early last week.
“One more boat, two more people, one more dog, we’re just a force multiplier to a great effort going on here,” said Curvelo.
With so much land and water to cover, Curvelo says it’s stressful and exhausting, but the need is greater.
“You go out hoping for the best but know that you’re looking for a needle in a haystack,” said Curvelo.
Using airboats along the coast and planes further out over the Gulf, searchers are on a mission to bring closure to the seven families, still waiting.
“These families are crying every night. We just want to find them,” said Curvelo.
These search crews have not put a timetable on when this search may end. They say they’ll do whatever they can, for as long as they can.