ST. MARY PARISH - Two weeks after the late Ernest J. Williams Jr. and eighteen other men encountered hurricane-like weather conditions while aboard a Seacor Power vessel in the Gulf of Mexico, Williams' family is suing the company that allowed the crewman to take to the waters that day.

Days after the vessel capsized in the Gulf, Williams' body was recovered in the water near Cocodrie on Thursday, April 15.

He is one of six crewmen who were found dead. Another seven crew members have not been recovered and are assumed dead. Six were rescued. 

Williams' daughter, Brandy Williams Norris, filed the lawsuit against Seacor Marine, Talos Energy and Semco LLC, stating that Seacor and Talos should have monitored advisories from the National Weather Service and been aware of deteriorating weather conditions on April 13. 

The lawsuit claims Williams' death was partially due to the legal fault, negligence, carelessness and omission of Seacor, Talos and Semco LLC, which built the liftboat that capsized.

The family is represented by Morris Bart Law Firm and the lawsuit seeks damages from the companies including those from all losses of Williams' death, past and future wages, loss of benefits, loss of pension, funeral costs and court costs.

This lawsuit is the second such filed by a family member of a Seacor Power crew member.

On April 21, Hannah Daspit, the wife of missing crewman Dylan Daspit, filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging that the ship's owners are responsible for gross negligence and violations of federal maritime law.