Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) enforcement agents recovered the body of a Port Barre man on March 20 from Toledo Bend in Sabine Parish.
LDWF agents found the unresponsive body of Philip D. LeBlanc, 71, in the Pirates Cove area of Toledo Bend around 6 p.m. Agents then transported LeBlanc to the Pirates Cove Marina where medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene. His body was turned over to the Sabine Parish Coroner’s office to determine an official cause of death.
Agents were called to the scene around 4:30 p.m. after being notified of an unmanned vessel.
Agents learned that a witness observed LeBlanc fishing in the area from the front deck of his vessel. Moments later the witness saw the same vessel without LeBlanc in the vessel. The witness then made contact with the 21 foot vessel and found the trolling motor on without an operator on board. The witness was able to call authorities to begin searching for LeBlanc in the water.
LDWF will be the lead investigative agency for this fatal boating incident. LeBlanc was recovered without a personal flotation device.