The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division is investigating a fatal boating incident that occurred on June 26 in Livingston Parish.

Agents were notified around 4 p.m. about three missing boaters at the mouth of the Blind River where it feeds into Lake Maurepas.  LDWF agents along with the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, Livingston Parish Fire Department and Lake Maurepas Fire Department immediately started searching the area.

Around 9:45 a.m. on June 27, search and rescue personnel recovered the body of Michael Bryant, 48, of Denham Springs.  Around 6:30 p.m. search crews recovered the bodies of Zachary LeDuff, 18, of Greenwell Springs, and Zane Bryant, 20, of Denham Springs.  All three bodies were turned over to the Livingston Parish Coroner’s Office.

All three men were passengers on a pontoon boat when LeDuff went swimming and became distressed.  Zane Bryant tried to rescue LeDuff, but he also found himself in distress.  Michael Bryant then tried to rescue both LeDuff and Zane Bryant, but was unsuccessful and the three men did not resurface.

LDWF will be the lead investigative agency for this fatal boating incident.  The three men were not wearing personal flotation devices.