A fire aboard the Cyprus-flagged seismic research vessel Rem Andes forced personnel to evacuate into life rafts on October 12, approximately 100 nautical miles south of Grand Isle, Louisiana. The U.S. Coast Guard assisted the response, and no injuries were reported.

A Coast Guard C-27 Spartan aircraft intercepted the vessel’s distress call and diverted to assist. Nearby offshore supply vessels recovered those who had entered life rafts and transported them toward Port Fourchon. An HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter also supported the operation.

Initial Coast Guard information placed the number aboard at 42, while subsequent reports put the total at 46. Those later accounts said 38 people evacuated and eight remained aboard to fight the fire and assess damage. The differing figures reflected updates during the emergency response.

The Coast Guard said the fire was extinguished and commercial salvage arrangements were being coordinated. Authorities were also working with the vessel’s operator to assess potential pollution risks. The cause of the fire and the extent of damage had not been disclosed.