Two Rescued After Liftboat Catches Fire Off Louisiana

[Brief] On Sunday, the U.S. Coast Guard's Eighth District evacuated two people from an offshore lift boat about 40 nautical miles off the coast of Louisiana after the vessel experienced a fire. 

At about 2000 hours, District Eight received notice from the crew of the lift boat Brazos that there had been a fire onboard. The blaze was put out, and no pollution or further threat to the vessel were reported. However, two men needed a medevac for higher care. 

In response, the Coast Guard dispatched a Jayhawk helicopter aircrew. When they arrived on scene, the pilot hovered over the helipad of the adjacent offshore platform to hoist the men safely on board. The aircrew delivered them safely to the Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Lafayette, Louisiana for further evaluation. 

Further details were not released, and the cause of the fire is under investigation. 

Brazos is a 145-foot liftboat built in 2013. It is built as a work platform, and can house up to 37 supernumeraries for the repair or construction of offshore platforms.