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UPDATE: Body of missing boater recovered from Vermilion Bay

Wildlife and Fisheries offices now consolidated in Lafayette
Posted at 3:25 PM, Jun 23, 2020
and last updated 2020-06-23 16:25:54-04

The body of a person missing in Vermilion Bay has been recovered, a spokesman for the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says.

The man, who has not been identified pending notification of relatives, was recovered yesterday, the spokesman said. We expect to have more details later today or tomorrow.

On Sunday, the Coast Guard has suspended efforts after searching approximately 1782 square miles continuously over 25 hours.

On Friday, we reported that Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries agents were searching for a person in the water in Vermilion Bay.

The incident happened two miles offshore of Cypremort Point.

The LDWF, U.S. Coast Guard and Vermilion Parish Sheriff's office were searching for the missing boater.

The Coast Guard at the time said they received a report at around midnight of a vessel with two passengers that was overdue to return home.

A Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-65 Dolphin Helicopter aircrew discovered the capsized vessel in Vermilion Bay, and located one survivor who swam to a nearby rig.

The survivor reportedly told the crew that the vessel had struck a submerged object, ejecting both passengers from the boat before capsizing.

Involved in the search were:

  • Coast Guard Station Grand Isle Special Purpose Craft-Shallow Water boatcrew
  • Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-65 Dolphin Helicopter aircrew
  • Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew
  • Coast Guard Cutter Mako crew
  • Coast Guard Air Auxiliary
  • Customs and Border Patrol
  • Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
  • Vermilion Parish Sheriff Office
  • St. Mary Parish Sheriff Office
  • Iberia Parish Sheriff Office

More information on this case can be found here.