LDWF Agents investigating fatal boating incident in Vermilion Parish

Published 12:00 pm Monday, March 1, 2021

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

The body of Chance R. Cormier, 22, of Church Point, was recovered from Bayou Tigre around 8:30 p.m.

LDWF agents were alerted about a boating incident around 5 p.m. regarding a man who fell off a personal watercraft (PWC).  Agents responding to the scene and learned from a witness that Cormier was operating the PWC by himself and observed him falling off the PWC and then disappearing into the water.

The LDWF Enforcement Division will be leading the investigation for this fatal boating incident.  The body was turned over to the Vermilion Parish Coroner’s Office to determine an official cause of death.  Cormier was recovered without a personal flotation device.

The Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Department and the local volunteer Fire Department also participated in the search and recovery of Cormier’s body.