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Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) enforcement agents are investigating a fatal boating incident that occurred on May 6 in Cameron Parish.

The body of Ryan M. McLelland, 41, of Dayton, Texas, was recovered by the Cameron Parish Sheriff’s Office (CPSO) from Calcasieu Lake around 8 a.m. on May 6.

LDWF agents and the CPSO were notified around 7:30 a.m. about an unmanned vessel moving in circles with a body in the water in the West Cove area of Calcasieu Lake.  According to McLelland’s family, he left to go fishing around 5:30 a.m.

LDWF will be the leading investigative agency for this fatal boating incident.  Agents believe that McLelland was ejected from his 19 or 20-foot vessel with the vessel still in motion.  The vessel then struck McLelland in the water.

McLelland’s body was turned over to the Cameron Parish Coroner’s Office.  He was not wearing his engine kill switch or personal flotation device at the time of the incident.