The U.S. Coast Guard and local agencies are looking for two people in the water near Bootheville, Louisiana after the support boat they were on capsized during a training exercise involving the oil spill response vessel Louisiana ‘Responder’.
Mainly, according to Coast Guard Sector New Orleans, the watchstanders got a report at about 10.40 am, on January 16 concerning a capsized 32-foot vessel that had two people onboard. As stated in the report, the vessel capsized in the vicinity of mile marker 18, on the lower Mississippi River.
A Coast Guard’s spokesperson assured that the capsized vessel was participating in exercise with the Louisiana Responder when the incident occurred.
Moreover, according to NBC’s New Orleans reporter, Travers Mackel, the vessel had five workers onboard. Although three were rescued, two are still missing.
In addition, the two crewmembers missing were identified from the Coast Guard as Katelyn Carlisle and Rueben Arellano.
Involved in the search and rescue mission are:
- A dolphin helicopter aircrews;
- A response boat-medium boatcrew;
- A special purpose craft boatcrew;
- Plaquemines Sheriff’s Office helicopter aircrew;
- Louisiana wildlife and fisheries boatcrew;
- Branch pilot boatcrew.
Finally, the river traffic is restricted from mile marker 15 to mile marker 18. The current queue of vessels is 4 vessel northbound, 10 inbound, and 15 southbound.
