In a recent collaborative effort, The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) agents teamed up with deputies from the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office (STPSO) Marine Patrol to save a 70-year-old man lost near the East Pearl River. The individual, set out for a crabbing expedition, found himself overdue and without a means to communicate after his cellphone battery expired.
The rescue operation took place on July 25 after authorities were alerted to the man’s situation around 5 p.m. Despite the scant details, LDWF and STPSO personnel managed to locate the mariner by roughly 8 p.m. in an a marshy inlet not far from Lake Borgne. According to the official release, the boater's vessel had suffered a malfunction, which led to him being stranded.
Post-rescue, the individual was brought ashore at the East Pearl River Boat Launch located on Hwy. 90. On arrival, he was attended by personnel from St. Tammany Parish Fire District 1 and Acadian Emergency Medical Services. After a thorough check-up, the senior was treated for heat-related complications but fortunately was released without the need for further medical intervention.
Crucial to the mission were LDWF agents Lt. Michael Garrity and Sgt. Brett Nabors, whose efforts, along with the STPSO deputies, were instrumental in the successful location and rescue of the boater.
