Fire Forces Crew to Abandon Research Vessel Off Louisiana

A fire aboard a seismic research vessel in the Gulf of Mexico forced dozens of crew members to abandon ship Monday, with nearby offshore supply vessels helping bring the evacuees safely ashore.

The Cyprus-flagged Rem Andes was operating approximately 100 nautical miles south of Grand Isle, Louisiana, when the fire broke out on October 12, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

A Coast Guard C-27 Spartan aircraft from Air Station Clearwater intercepted the vessel’s mayday call and diverted to assist. Crew members who had evacuated into life rafts were picked up by responding offshore supply vessels and transported to Port Fourchon,