RESCUE IN VERMILION BAY 

By Sgt. Edwin Broussard

 

            Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Agents rescued two children and two adults from the waters of Vermilion Bay at about 9:30 am. on Saturday, August 11, after the fishermen's boat began taking on water and sank approximately two miles north of Southwest Pass.

Senior Agent Kirby Henry and Sergeant Edwin Broussard were working by boat in an 18 foot Boston Whaler on the saltwater patrol traveling south of Dry Reef toward Southwest Pass when they observed a large, white, ice chest floating on the water. The wind was blowing from the south-southwest and the seas were one to two foot chop. The agents suspected a boat may be sinking or had already sunk. They spotted and followed a line of floating and drifting items such as a tackle box, the top of a dry storage box, a boat seat, a life vest, an insulated bag, etc. The agents spotted a subject in the water waving his hat at them. They approached him carefully while looking for other persons floating in the water. The agents realized that there were four people in the water sitting on the top of an overturned submerged boat.  They acknowledged that everyone was present.  Agent Henry operated the boat skillfully and assisted Sergeant Broussard in the bringing of the two children aboard their boat first.

The two children had their life vests on them, but they were shivering and scared. The agents calmed the children and the two adults were brought aboard next. The agents provided a towel for the stranded, wet boaters to dry themselves.  A dry raincoat and clean, dry T-shirts were provided for the children to put on to slow down or stop hypothermia because they had been in the water for up to 30 minutes.

The agents brought them back to Cypremort Point Boat Landing after they retrieved some of the floating items at the request of their passengers.