"Of the 19 passengers and crew ... 5, unfortunately, have been recovered deceased and 8 persons remain missing," Watson said at a press conference.
The coast guard said in a statement that its boat and aircrews, as well as "local agency crews and good Samaritans," searched for survivors for a total of 175 hours and covered more than 9,200 square nautical miles.
"The Coast Guard is suspending its search Monday for the remaining missing Seacor Power lift boat crewmembers 8 miles south of Port Fourchon," the statement read.
The coast guard received a distress signal from Seacor Power on 13 April. The commercial vessel with 19 people on board is believed to have capsized. Six people were rescued later that same day.