Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) enforcement agents are currently investigating a fatal boating incident that occurred on July 28 in Livingston Parish.

The bodies of Thuy Gustin, 31 (age corrected from 27), of Springfield, LA and Chase Sharkey, 36, of Greensburg, LA were recovered from the Tickfaw River on July 28 after they were involved in a fatal boating collision.

LDWF agents were notified around 12:17 a.m. on July 28 about a two vessel collision in the Tickfaw River near Kings Point. LDWF agents immediately arrived on the scene and found a heavily damaged 25 foot pontoon boat and a capsized 25 foot Sea Fox boat.

Agents learned that Gustin, who was a passenger on the Sea Fox, was trapped under the capsized vessel. An agent and a Good Samaritan jumped in the water and were able to recover Gustin from the river.

The agent and the Good Samaritan then performed CPR in an attempt to revive her until Acadian Ambulance arrived on the scene. Acadian Ambulance transported Gustin to the North Oaks Hospital where she was pronounced deceased.

LDWF agents along with the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Springfield Fire Department then began searching for Sharkey, who was the operator of the pontoon boat. Sharkey’s body was recovered from the Tickfaw River around 12:45 p.m.

Three people on the Sea Fox and three people on the pontoon were taken to the North Oaks Hospital with serious injuries. The injuries are believed to be non-life threatening.

The LDWF Enforcement Division will be the leading investigative agency for this fatal boating incident. The bodies of the two deceased boaters were turned over to the Livingston Parish Coroner’s Office to determine an official cause of death.

It is unknown at this time the cause of this two vessel collision. Blood was drawn from the operator of the Sea Fox. The Sea Fox had six people on board and the pontoon boat had seven people on board. No one was wearing a personal flotation device at the time of the collision.