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Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents are investigating two separate boating incidents that occurred in Calcasieu Parish on July 30.

Agents were notified about a single vessel incident in the Old Sabine River.  Around 5 p.m. a single operator was on the river in a 15 or 16 foot aluminum vessel when he lost control of the vessel and flipped.  The operator was ejected from the vessel and hit the propeller.

The operator was wearing his personal flotation device (PFD) and kill switch lanyard.  The boat sunk and he was retrieved from the water by boaters nearby.  He was taken by ambulance to Memorial Hospital for his injuries.

Agents were then notified about a second boating incident around 7:30 p.m. in the Calcasieu Ship Channel.  Agents learned that a 20 foot vessel was traveling in the ship channel when some of the passengers jumped out of the boat while it was underway.

The operator then told another passenger to take the wheel and he ran to the front of the vessel to jump in the water, but he slipped and fell over the bow instead.  He went under the boat and had several propeller strikes on his body.  He was wearing his PFD.

He was retrieved from the water and taken to the shore where he rode in an ambulance to Memorial Hospital.  He was then taken to Lafayette General Hospital and is in the intensive care unit.

LDWF will be the lead investigative agency for both of these boating incidents.