Search and rescue crews recovered the body of a missing boater in Lower St. Martin Parish this morning, Feb. 28.
The St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office recovered Seth A. Falcon, 38, of Pierre Part, from the Banister Canal around 9:00 a.m. His body was turned over to the St. Martin Parish Coroner’s Office to determine an official cause of death.
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) enforcement agents were notified around 8 a.m. on Feb. 25about a missing boater in Banister Canal and responded to the scene immediately to conduct a search.
According to a nearby commercial fisherman, he came across an unmanned 18-foot aluminum vessel with a tiller steer motor and called authorities. When agents arrived on the scene, they found evidence to suggest the boat hit a pylon ejecting the operator into the water.
According to the operator’s last known contact, he left to go fishing with his dog around 3 p.m. on Feb. 24 and never returned. The dog was found on a platform near the boating incident site and returned to the boater’s family.
The LDWF Enforcement Division along with deputies from St. Mary, St. Martin and Assumption parish sheriff offices were involved in the search of the missing boater.
The LDWF Enforcement Division is the lead investigative agency for this boating incident. Falcon’s body was recovered without wearing a personal flotation device.