Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) along with the Cameron Parish Sheriff’s Office (CPSO) rescued three stranded boaters in Cameron Parish on May 28.
LDWF and the CPSO were notified about three people in a vessel that was taking on water in the Gulf of Mexico just outside the Rockefeller Refuge around 12:50 p.m. on May 28. LDWF personnel and a CPSO deputy responded to the scene immediately and found the three boaters on a rock jetty and learned that two of them could not swim.
The LDWF personnel and the CPSO deputy were able to throw a life ring to the boaters and pull them to their vessel where they were transported back to land. All three boaters were recovered safely with only some minor scrapes and bruises.
Agents learned the three boaters were fishing along the edge of Rockefeller Refuge when they encountered large waves that overtopped the vessel. When they attempted to leave the motor was locked up and not operational. The waves then slammed the vessel up against the rocks at which time the boaters left the vessel and climbed up on the rocks where they called for help.
Personnel participating in this successful search and rescue are LDWF Agent Chelsea Moudry, Rockefeller Refuge Biologist Manager Phillip Trosclair and CPSO Deputy Anthony Suire.