A search is underway for a vessel captain that reportedly fell overboard into the Mississippi River on Sunday, July 17.
The Coast Guard is searching waters near Donaldsonville, Louisiana, for Captain Ambarish Parekh, who was last seen on Sunday morning at approximately 9:30 AM. Captain Parekh was attempting to board the African Raptor, a 650 ft cargo ship, from a crew boat when he fell from a gangway connecting the two vessels into the Mississippi River. Captain Parekh was reportedly wearing a blue shirt, long pants, and a life jacket.
The New Orleans Port Authority and the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office are working with the Coast Guard to locate and rescue Captain Parekh with the aid of a 29-foot response boat, a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew and a Mobile HC-144 fixed-wing aircraft from New Orleans.
If you have any information regarding Captain Parekh’s whereabouts, please call the Coast Guard’s Sector New Orleans Command Center at 504.365.2209.
Lambert Zainey will continue to monitor and update this story as new information and details emerge.