NEW ORLEANS, La. (AP) — The offshore oil industry boat that overturned in a deadly Gulf of Mexico disaster last week was ordered to sea in dangerous conditions by an energy company that put “money over safety,” a pair of $25 million lawsuits assert.
Both were filed in Texas state court in Houston. One was filed by Hannah Daspit, wife of Dylan Daspit. Another was filed Friday by the fiancé of Jay Guevara.
Both men were aboard the Seacor Power when it capsized on April 13. Their bodies had yet to be recovered as of Friday afternoon. A total of 19 crew members were on the ship; six were rescued, six have been recovered, and seven remain missing.
The suits allege that Talos Energy and Seacor Marine failed to assess weather conditions when the lift boat went out.
Both Daspit and Vercher are being represented by attorney Frank Spagnoletti.
"I know what the family hopes comes out of all of this. Maybe they can do this safer. Maybe have ePERB devices so if someone falls into the water they can find them immediately," Spagnoletti said in an interview with KATC Friday.
"They don't have to listen to the radio to find out if there is a bad storm coming. They're supposed to listen to the weather," he continued. "I don't mean just the captain, I mean the dispatcher, I mean Talos Energy. It's usually about getting the boat out on site, which is exactly what happened here. Time is money. You don't blame the people who do the work everyday for you when things go wrong. You are the captain of the ship, that is the owner."
Spagnoletti says the sooner families like Daspit file, the better.
"All these widows are going to need lawyers, all the injured parties will need lawyers. They will try to limit the liability of the vessel after the loss."
Neither company has commented on the suit.
READ MORE: Two lawsuits filed by family of missing men against Seacor Marine, Talos Energy
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