At a Glance

A second body was found.At least two survivors were at one point in the hull of the ship.They were last heard from around 10 p.m. Tuesday.

A second body has been found in the search for survivors from the Seacor Power, the ship that capsized Tuesday in rough weather off the southern coast of Louisiana.

The U.S. Coast Guard said in a news release Friday afternoon that the lifeless male body was by a search helicopter on Thursday evening and recovered by the Cutter Benjamin Daily. The victim was transported to the Coast Guard Station in nearby Grand Isle, where he was pronounced dead.

Meanwhile, dive crews continued operations Friday but had to pause at least once due to the weather. No further details were released on whether they had been able to access the hull of the ship, where there was hope that survivors might still be alive.

Divers had finally gotten a break in the weather that allowed them to reach the capsized Seacor Power Thursday as the U.S. Coast Guard revealed more details about the rescue operation – including the fact that at least two survivors were at one point known to be inside the hull of the ship.

Divers were able to mulitple access points to the hull and they had hoped to enter it Friday, NOLA.com reported.

U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Carlos Galarza told NOLA.com that were seen on a portion of the ship's hull above the water after it capsized Tuesday. A helicopter crew dropped them radios and life jackets. Two of the people jumped into the water and were rescued. One was reported to have fallen in the water and disappeared. And two went back into the hull.

The weather was too rough to attempt further rescues that night, according to the Associated Press.

The two were last heard from around 10 p.m. Tuesday, and were listed among the dozen missing whose fate was unknown.

“There is the potential they are still there, but we don’t know,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan Lally. “We’re still searching for 12 people because there are 12 still missing.”

With the discovery of a second body, that number is now 11.

The divers who arrived Thursday on the hull in an attempt to communicate with anyone who might be alive inside. There was no response.

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The hope is that there may be air pockets inside that would allow survivors to breathe. The 129-foot boat is resting on its side in about 55 feet of water, and part of it is still visible above the surface.

Divers have been hampered by bad weather for days.

“As long as the weather permits, the divers will try to gain to access to the vessel. That is the ultimate goal,” Galarza told the AP early Friday.

But storms were once again moving through the area, and the National Weather Service said wind gusts of more than 35 mph, waterspouts and steep waves were possible in the region.

Whether anyone could survive this long depends on the size of the air pocket, according to Mauritius Bell, diving safety officer and manager of dive at the California Academy of Sciences. Eventually, the oxygen would run out.

“It would be somewhat analogous to breathing in and out of a paper bag,” Bell told the AP. “At some point, it’s not survivable.”

The Seacor Power capsized amid winds gusting to 89 mph and seas of 7 to 9 feet. Six people were rescued shortly after. A body pulled from the water on Wednesday has been identified as David Ledet, 63, of Thibodaux, Louisiana. Several news reports said he was a ship captain.

The rest of the 19 people on board remain unaccounted for.

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On Thursday, the Coast Guard issued what sounded like an ominous statement on the fate of the dozen missing crew members.

"While search efforts for the crew are continuing, the incident has been declared a ," a news release said. "The Coast Guard is leading a preliminary investigation and the National Transportation Safety Board will be joining in that effort."

But Galarza told NOLA.com that the capsizing of the Seacor Power as a major marine casualty because the ship weighed more than 100 tons and is estimated to have sustained damage of $2 million or more.

The Coast Guard has searched more than 6,300 square miles, according to the news release. Several other agencies are also involved, using boats, helicopters and airplanes.

The Seacor Power is a commercial lift vessel with three powerful legs, each 250 feet tall, that can turn it into an offshore platform used for construction and other heavy-duty work. What appeared to be one of its massive legs was visible above the surface of the water.

Port Fourchon is Louisiana's southernmost seaport and is a major base for the U.S. oil and gas industry.

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