Crew member killed on Empire Wind Farm support vessel

A spokeswoman for subcontractors Tidewater, which provided the vessel on which the incident occurred, Polaris, confirmed that the crew member was performing maintenance on the vessel in preparation for work on the Empire Wind project.

”Tidewater confirms with deep regret that a fatal incident occurred aboard one of its vessels, resulting in the death of a crew member,” she quoted the offshore support vessels owner, which is based in Texas, as saying, in the full statement.

”The incident took place on the Polaris on 2 June 2025, while the vessel was on the Atlantic Ocean engaged in normal operations. Emergency response procedures were immediately initiated, and despite the efforts of the crew and emergency response agencies, the crew member tragically passed away.

”Our thoughts are with the family, friends, and fellow crew members affected by this loss. Tidewater is fully cooperating with the United States Coast Guard in the ongoing investigation to determine the cause of the incident. The safety of our crew remains our highest priority, and we are committed to supporting the investigative process in every way.

“No further details are available at this time. Additional information will be provided as appropriate.”

Equinor Renewables Americas senior vice president Molly Morris said: This is a tragic marine accident. Our thoughts are with the family, friends, and colleagues who have lost a loved one. We extend our deepest condolences to all those affected.”

Empire Wind 1 has been a troubled project from start to finish, with a stop work order issued on Donald Trump’s retaking of the White House, followed by its reinstatement just a month later – only for a new court filing to be issued last week to try and overturn the reinstatement.