Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement agents, Acadia Parish Fire and Rescue personnel and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies, Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies and Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies found the deceased body of a missing boater on the Mermentau River today, March 23.
The body of Bradford Ware, 35, of Crowley, was recovered around 11 a.m. this morning on the Mermentau River on the Acadia Parish and Jefferson Davis Parish border.
The search and rescue crews received notification of the missing boater around 4:30 p.m. on March 22. According to the operator and the other four passengers in the 18 foot vessel, they were drifting in the river.
Once they drifted close to the point where the Mermentau River intersects with Hwy. 90, Ware leaned backwards and entered the water without a personal flotation device and never resurfaced.
Authorities were notified and arrived on scene around 5 p.m. and searched for Ware until 11 p.m. on March 22. Authorities then started the search again at 7 a.m. this morning.
Ware’s body was found near where he was reported missing and has been turned over to the Acadia Parish Coroner’s Office.
LDWF will be the lead investigative agency for this fatal boating incident.