St. Mary Parish Sheriff Blaise Smith advises that over the last 5-week reporting period, the Marine Section of the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office responded to the following incidents:

Assistance-Stranded boat:  November 28, 2019, 8:45 am, Atchafalaya River (Morgan City Harbor.) 

The St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office Marine Section received a call from dispatch advising of a stranded vessel in the Morgan City Harbor. Dispatch advised that the boater was aground and needed assistance. The deputy contacted the boater who said he was safe and wasn't taking on water. Upon arrival, the deputies observed the vessel aground on a shoal between the Highway 90 Bridge and the Railroad Bridge. The deputies were able to tow the stranded vessel off the shoal without incident.

 

Search and Rescue-Vessel aground taking on water:  November 30, 2019, 6:45 pm, Point Au Fer Island. 

The St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office Marine Section received a call from dispatch advising of a sailing vessel that was aground and taking on water. Dispatch advised that the United States Coast Guard called and was asking for help with the vessel. Upon contacting the USCG in New Orleans, the deputies learned that communication was established with the vessel via VHF radio, and the USCG provided coordinates to the vessel which showed the vessel was in the area of Terrebonne Parish. Contact was made with TPSO to advise them that the SMPSO Marine Section would be assisting with the vessel.

Deputies launched and proceeded as far as Deer Island Bayou but had to standby at that location due to the heavy fog. Eventually, TPSO was able to reach the vessel and transported two persons to safety.

 

Assistance-Stranded boat:  November 30, 2019, 11:00 am, Point Chevall. 

The St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office Marine Section received a call advising of a vessel that was aground in the fog near Point Chevall. The deputy contacted the boater by phone and learned that he was aground and experiencing engine trouble. Upon arrival, the deputies observed the vessel was aground and two boaters were donning life vests. The boaters boarded SMB-2 and the vessel was towed to the Burns Point Boat Launch without incident.

 

Rescue-Injured boaters:  December 4, 2019, 6:00 pm, ICW M/B 110 

The St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office Marine Section received a call from dispatch advising of a vessel that was swamped with two persons and a K9 in the water. Dispatch further advised that call came in from the United States Coast Guard Station in New Orleans. The deputy made contact with the USCG and received coordinates to the boaters' location. While en route to the location, the deputies were in contact with a towing vessel that was also in the area that advised that one of the boaters had a leg injury and needed medical attention. Upon arrival, the deputies observed the boat along with the towing vessel and two boaters.

One of the boaters' had a leg injury, and a marine deputy (who is a first responder as well) advised that the leg needed to be in a splint.  The crew from the towing vessel helped with materials to make a splint. Acadian Ambulance was contacted to meet the patrol vessel at the Cabot Boat Launch for medical attention. The boaters were transported back to the boat launch without incident where Acadian provided treatment to the injured boater.

 

Search and Rescue-Stranded boat in the Gulf:  December 8, 2019, 3:15 pm, Gulf of Mexico

The St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office Marine Section received a call from dispatch advising of a stranded boat in the Gulf of Mexico. The call came in from the United States Coast Guard Station in New Orleans. The deputies made contact with the USCG and were advised that two subjects were on board a 24-foot fishing vessel that had experienced engine failure and needed assistance.  The petty officer also provided coordinates to the location. Upon arrival, the deputies observed a white fishing vessel with two subjects on board. The subjects boarded the patrol vessel and were transported to the Berwick Boat Launch without incident.

 

Assistance- Disabled vessel in canal:  December 14, 2019, 5:00 pm, Charenton Drainage Canal

The St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office Marine Section received a call from dispatch advising of a disabled vessel in the Charenton Drainage Canal. The boater was experiencing engine trouble and needed assistance. The deputy made contact with the boater via phone and received information as to the boat's location in the canal. Upon arrival at the location, the boaters boarded the SMP patrol boat and deputies towed the disabled vessel to the Franklin Boat Launch without incident.

 

Assistance- Disabled vessel in the bayou:  December 21, 2019, 4:00 pm, Bayou Teche near Patterson

The St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office Marine Section received a call from dispatch advising of a stranded boater in the Patterson area. The boater's engine had failed and he needed assistance. The deputies made contact with the boater and received information as to the location of the boat. Upon arrival at the location, the boaters boarded the SMP patrol boat and deputies towed the disabled vessel to the Jesse B. Hayes Boat Launch without incident.

 

Search and Rescue- Overdue crab fisherman:  December 24, 2019, 8:24 pm, Ivanhoe Canal

The St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office Marine Section received a call from dispatch advising of an overdue crab fisherman. A person reported that a crab fisherman went out on the water but never returned. The person reported that the crab fisherman's phone had died hours before. The deputy investigated to find out what area the fisherman might normally fish. The deputy also contacted the United States Coast Guard and advised them of the situation. Moments later the USCG contacted the deputy advising that they were able to make radio contact with the fisherman and receive coordinates to his location. Upon arrival, the deputies observed the vessel and two boaters.  The boaters attached a tow line to their vessel boarded the SMP patrol vessel.  The vessel was towed to the Port of West St. Mary without incident.

 

Complaint- possible pipeline explosion:  December 31, 2019, ICW

The St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office Marine Section received a complaint of a possible pipeline explosion in the Intercoastal Waterway near the Charenton Canal. Upon further investigation, the deputies learned it was hunters burning the marsh.

 

Assistance- stranded duck hunters:  December 27, 2019, 10:26 pm, Wax Lake Delta

The St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office Marine Section received a call from dispatch advising of stranded duck hunters at the Wax Lake Delta. A hunter reported that he and his friends were duck hunting and ran out of gas. The deputies launched the patrol vessel and traveled to the location where they observed the three hunters sitting in a duck boat. After the hunters put on life vests and attached a tow strap to their vessel, they boarded the patrol vessel and were transported to the Calumet Boat Launch without incident.

 

Search and Rescue- overdue duck hunter:  December 29, 2019, 8:50 pm, Atchafalaya River Delta

The St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office Marine Section received a call from dispatch advising of an overdue duck hunter at the Atchafalaya River Delta. A person reported that a friend had gone duck hunting the day before and had not returned. The person gave information as to the location his friend normally hunts. Upon arriving at the Berwick Boat Launch, the deputies observed the missing hunter's vehicle in the parking lot. The deputies launched the SMPSO patrol vessel and traveled to the approximate location and began using a creeping parallel search pattern in order to locate the hunter. The deputies contacted the United States Coast Guard and requested Air Support.  The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries also had responded in assistance.

Several hours later, the USCG helo arrived on the scene and began search patterns. While searching, they observed a flare being set off and were able to locate the missing hunter. They directed the deputies as to the location of the hunter. Upon arrival, the deputies observed a partly submerged vessel and the hunter standing on the bank. The hunter and his vessel were recovered and were transported back to the Berwick Boat Launch without incident. It should be noted that the foggy conditions continued throughout the search.

 

Assistance- Stranded duck hunter:  January 2, 2019, 8:00 pm, Wax Lake Delta

The St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office Marine Section received a call from dispatch advising of an overdue duck hunter at the Wax Lake Delta. A hunter had called and reported that his battery was dead on his vessel and he was in need of assistance. The deputy made contact with the hunter to receive the coordinates to his location. Upon arrival, the deputies observed three male subjects in a 16-foot duck hunting vessel. The hunters secured the vessel with a towline and boarded the patrol vessel. The hunters were transported back to the Cabot Boat Launch without incident.

 

Assistance- Stranded duck hunter:  January 4, 2019, 7:30 pm, Wax Lake Delta

The St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office Marine Section received a call from dispatch advising of an overdue duck hunter at the Wax Lake Delta. A hunter had called and reported that he was aground at the Wax Lake Delta and needed assistance. The deputy contacted the hunter and got information as to his approximate location.

The deputy contacted the United States Coast Guard and inquired if they could get the coordinates to the hunter's location from his cell signal.  Moments later the USCG responded with the coordinates. The deputies traveled to the location and observed three hunters in a hunting vessel. The hunters secured the vessel with a towline and boarded the patrol vessel. The hunters were transported back to the Cabot Boat Launch without incident.

 

Assistance- Stranded duck hunter:  January 6, 2019, 1:00 am, Wax Lake Delta

The St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office Marine Section received a call from dispatch advising of a stranded duck hunter at the Wax Lake Delta. A female subject called stating her son and his friends were hunting at the Delta when their battery went dead and were in need of assistance. She did not know of their exact location and that their cell phone batteries were also dead. The deputies were familiar with the hunter and where he hunts, so they launched the patrol vessel and traveled to the location. Upon arrival, the deputies observed three individuals seated in the vessel and instructed the hunters to secure the towline to his vessel. The hunters along with their vessel were transported to the Calumet Boat launch without incident. 

 

Contact Information:

Public Information Officer

St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office

985-384-1622

pio@stmaryso.com

http://www.stmaryso.com/