LAKE MAUREPAS, LA: Missing Boater’s Body Found

The body of a missing boater was found on Lake Maurepas Monday around 8 p.m., according to a Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries news release.

A passing boater found the body of Daniel Mitchell, 51, of Springfield, about 2 miles south on Lake Maurepas in Tangipahoa Parish from where his unmanned vessel was found, according to the release. The boater notified officials who then recovered Mitchell’s body.

Search crews from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division, Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Coast Guard and the Killian Dive Team had been searching for Mitchell since Saturday around 5:30 p.m.

body-of-missing-boater-found

Search crews will return to Lake Maurepas Monday morning to continue looking for a boater reported missing over the weekend.

Divers have been searching near the mouth of the Tickfaw River, where it meets Lake Maurepas, for Daniel Mitchell, 51, of Springfield.

According to agents with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Mitchell told a friend Saturday he was minutes away from the Prop Stop, but he never showed up.

Calls were made to emergency officials around 5:30 p.m. about an unmanned boat going in circles in the lake. Agents said that boat belonged to Mitchell.

High winds and the size of the boat might have played a role in what happened.

Boater Missing

LAKE MAUREPAS, La. (AP) — Authorities say they are looking for a 51-year-old Springfield man who is missing after his lake skiff boat was found spinning in circles with nobody aboard.

Search crews are looking for Daniel Mitchell, 51.

Authorities say his 18-foot-long boat was found spinning in circles Saturday afternoon near the mouth of the Tickfaw River near Lake Maurepas.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the Coast Guard, Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Killian Dive Team were involved in the search Sunday.

LA_MISSING_BOATER