A Louisiana boating accident resulted in the death of a 21-year-old man recently. The accident occurred in Lake Pontchartrain close to Slidell. Searchers found the man's body later that afternoon, close to where he originally fell overboard. The boating accident occurred in rough waters at approximately 3:30 in the morning.

The man was a student at Louisiana College in the city of Pineville and had come to Slidell for summer vacation. He was on a fishing trip with three of his friends. They left from Oak Harbor and went about 100 yards past the twin span bridges when the boat driver realized the waters in the area could not be navigated safely.

The driver attempted to turn left and then turn around but the victim, located towards the right rear area of the boat, tumbled overboard. Others in the boat saw the man twice but could not get to him before he disappeared under the water. The passengers later told police he was not wearing any kind of personal flotation device. Wildlife and Fisheries, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office, Coast Guard and Sea Tow were all dispatched to search for the man around the bridge area to the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain.

This Louisiana boating accident ended in tragedy for this man and his family. There is no word on an accident investigation but it is likely still underway. No suspicious factors such as drinking and operating the boat have as yet been reported, but there could be the potential for negligence on the driver's part for how he handled the boat in rough waters, as well as for permitting passengers on the boat without a personal flotation device. While it is too early to know what the results of the official investigation will be, the family will likely be interested in the findings and conclusions once published.

Source: The Times Picayune, "Searchers find body of Slidell boater in Lake Pontchartrain," Ramon Antonio Vargas, June 5, 2012