Lee Iii News

On Saturday U.S. Coast Guard crews were searching for five people missing after a vessel collison in the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River near Venice, La. The upriver-bound 534-ft. cargo ship Zim Mexico III and the downbound 178-ft. offshore supply vessel LEE III reportedly collided at 5:20 a.m. After the collision, the LEE III capsized. A boatcrew from Coast Guard Station Venice, La., a helicopter crew from Air Station New Orleans and a jet crew from Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala., are on scene searching for the five people reported to have been on the LEE III. Investigators from Marine Safety Office New Orleans are investigating the cause of the accident.

The U.S. Coast Guard has concluded its search for five crewmen missing since their offshore supply vessel sank near Pilottown, La., Saturday, and is, as of Tuesday, February 24, overseeing recovery and salvage operations to safely remove the vessel from the Southwest Pass. The Coast Guard called off its search and rescue efforts at about 5 p.m. after a final search of the area failed to locate any survivors. Coast Guard assets have been continuously involved in the search since they arrived at the scene of the accident at 6:30 a.m. Saturday, February 21. Also assisting in the search were personnel and resources from Plaquemines Parish, the New Orleans Port Authority, the La. Dept. of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Navy.

The backlog of vessels waiting to enter or exit the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River has almost cleared today and the Coast Guard is projecting that it should be completely cleared by mid-day Saturday, weather permitting.Since the Southwest Pass was reopened Wednesday afternoon to one-way vessel traffic, 70 vessels entered and 69 vessels exited the Mississippi River. Today there are 16 awaiting entry and 13 waiting to depart.Bisso Marine, the company contracted to raise and remove the Lee III from the shipping channel…

The U.S. Coast Guard was scheduled to close the Mississippi River's Southwest Pass for approximately eight to 10 hours on February 29, for recovery and salvage of the Lee III. A safety zone spanning the entire width and length of the pass will be enforced. The crane barges Lilli Bisso and Cappy Bisso are scheduled to lift the Lee III onto a deck barge and gently lift it to the surface where operations to remove the remaining fuel will commence. Pollution response teams will be on scene to prevent any pollution from entering the water. Once the Lee III is secured, on-scene personnel plan to search the vessel for any remaining crewmembers missing since Feb. 21.

A member of the American Salvage Association (ASA) quickly responded to the MV Lee III, a supply boat that collided with a container ship and sunk February 21 near the southwest pass of the Mississippi River, a key channel for shipping. The MV Lee III was towed away, the river was open for one-way traffic within 96 hours, and the wreck was fully cleared within a week after the incident. Five crewmembers were lost in the incident; three of the deceased crewman were removed form the wreck prior to its raising.

- The Coast Guard-led formal investigation into the collision of offshore supply vessel Lee III and the motor vessel ZIM Mexico III is expected to continue into next week at the Hyatt Regency on Poydras Street. The fact finding inquiry, which is presided over by a one-person board, will again take place in the Loyola Room at the Hyatt beginning at 9 a.m. on Monday, March 8, but will be moved to a different room at the Hyatt if proceedings continue past Thursday, March 11. Any such room change will be announced as soon as determined. Since the investigation convened, seven people have testified before the investigating officer, including the master of the ZIM Mexico III, Capt. Leszek Jaworski. The pilot of the ZIM Mexico III, Greg Blache, is expected to testify early next week.

Much of the copy on our pages is spent examining the technical and financial sides of our business — the vessels, systems and equipment, as well as the companies and individual that design, build and operate them. The human side ... the people and personalities that make the maritime industry what it is and, personally, has kept me coming back for more for the last decade, often finishes a distant third. Some events of the last few months — the death of Chris Cordeau (29) from Portland Tugboat; the collision of the Lee III and Zim Mexico III at the mouth of the Mississippi, resulting in the sinking of the OSV Lee III and the apparent death of five crew members, including the confirmed deaths of Baldemar Villarreal, Jr.

The formal U.S. Coast Guard-led investigation into the collision between the offshore supply vessel Lee III and the motor vessel ZIM Mexico III concluded today at the Hyatt Regency on Poydras Street. The fact-finding inquiry, which was presided over by a one-person board, began March 2. Since the investigation convened, 14 people have testified before the investigating officer, including the master of the ZIM Mexico III, Capt. Leszek Jaworski and the pilot of the ZIM Mexico III, Greg Blache. During the board, 86 exhibits were entered into evidence. All facts will be compiled into a preliminary report during the next few months and forwarded through the Eighth Coast Guard District then onto Coast Guard Headquarters for final review. The proceedings were open to the public and the media.

A member of the American Salvage Association (ASA) quickly responded to the MV Lee III, a supply boat that collided with a container ship and sunk February 21 near the southwest pass of the Mississippi River, a key channel for shipping. The MV Lee III was towed away, the river was open for one-way traffic within 96 hours, and the wreck was fully cleared within a week after the incident. Five crewmembers were lost in the incident; three of the deceased crewman were removed form the wreck prior to its raising. "When there is a marine emergency, the professional salvage community responds quickly and acts to protect against further human injury and/or loss of life, as well as to protect the marine environment, and mitigate damage to the ship, her cargo and other property.

The American Salvage Association (ASA) awarded its first Rapid Response Award on April 29 to the United States Coast Guard Marine Safety Office (MSO) New Orleans for its role in the salvage of the M/V Lee III, a supply boat that collided with a container ship and sank near the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River on February 21. Five crewmembers were lost in the incident. ASA member Bisso Marine commenced operations to remove the vessel. MSO New Orleans immediately established an open dialogue with the salvor, clearly stated all expectations and offered its full support. As the salvage operation progressed, the need to restore commerce was balanced with operational safety, recovery of the vessel’s crew-members and the protection of the environment.