WBRZ - Baton Rouge

Tagged News

• 20 safe after vessel hits platform, sinks in Gulf

  June 14, 2013 4:35 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Officials say an offshore supply boat struck a production platform in the Gulf of Mexico on Friday and sank after all 20 people aboard were transferred safely to another boat. Coast Guard Petty Officer Ivan Barnes says none of the 16 passengers or four crew members on... more »

• Ski boat hits tree; girl, 6, in critical condition

  June 10, 2013 1:40 PM

  KILLIAN - The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says a 6-year-old girl is in critical condition with head injuries after a ski boat crashed into a tree on the Natalbany River bank. Enforcement Division spokesman Adam Einck says the girl was among five people in the 22-foot ski boat,... more »

• Man playing hide-and-seek with authorities on river

  May 14, 2013 8:57 PM

  BRUSLY- A man, possibly naked, is apparently playing a bizarre game of hide-and-seek with authorities on the Mississippi River. Sources tell WBRZ News 2, the U.S. Coast Guard was called after deputies in East Baton Rouge asked for help locating a missing boater earlier Tuesday. Deputies were trying to... more »

• Sheriff puts fishing boat up for auction

  May 13, 2013 11:48 AM

  HOUMA - The Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office is offering its 38-foot-long fishing boat for sale on the online auction site eBay. The Courier reports the starting bid is $180,000. The auction ends May 18. Since taking office, Sheriff Jerry Larpenter has criticized former Sheriff Vernon Bourgeois' decision to buy the... more »

• Couple accused of kidnapping kids in jail

  April 10, 2013 6:43 AM

  TAMPA, Fla. - The couple accused of kidnapping their two young sons and fleeing by boat to Cuba has been booked into a Florida jail after being handed over to U.S. authorities. According to a website for the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Joshua Michael Hakken and his wife Sharyn are... more »

• Search for missing firefighter to continue Friday Play Video

  January 31, 2013 10:22 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A day of searching on the Belle River ended without good news for the family of a missing Baton Rouge firefighter. Teams from five different agencies used divers and SONAR-equipped boats in their search for Jacob Lewis, 28, who went into the river last night while... more »

• Coast Guard rescues stranded hunter

  January 23, 2013 3:49 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Members of the Cost Guard said a stranded hunter used all the right survival skills to get spotted and rescued today after his boat sank in St. Charles Parish. The Coast Guard spotted a brush fire the hunter used to signal them while they searched Bayou... more »

• Swollen waterways to reopen at noon

  January 21, 2013 10:49 AM

  GONZALES - Authorities in Ascension and Livingston parishes announced waterways in both areas will reopen for recreational boat traffic at noon today. The rivers closed after heavy rain and flooding swelled local waterways to unsafe levels. Several parishes around the state delcared disasters after the flooding damaged bridges,... more »

• Tug boat sinks in Mississippi River Play Video

  January 18, 2013 11:54 AM

  LAPLACE - The Coast Guard says a tug boat carrying 4,000 gallons of diesel and 100 gallons of lube oil sank in the Mississippi River near LaPlace. Petty Officer Alex Washington tells The Times-Picayune no one was on the vessel at the time and no injuries were reported. Washington... more »

• Waterways for Ascension, Livingston parishes closing

  January 9, 2013 3:37 PM

  GONZALES - Authorities in Livingston and Ascension parishes announced they would close waterways to recreational boat traffic starting at 6 p.m. tonight. The closure will last until water levels recede after last night's heavy rainfall. Both parishes saw scattered flooding in towns and subdivisions after receiving several inches... more »

• Lawmakers discuss low Miss. River with Corps

  November 29, 2012 3:10 PM

  WASHINGTON - A top Army Corps of Engineers official told federal lawmakers the agency can't legally reverse its decision to reduce the Missouri River's flow into the rain-starved Mississippi River. But Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois says Army Assistant Secretary Jo-Ellen Darcy did tell him and senators from Iowa and... more »

• Boat comes off trailer, ties up traffic on I-10

  November 14, 2012 11:56 AM

  SORRENTO - State Police said a boat came loose from its trailer while traveling on I-10 near Sorrento today, but caused no injuries. It happened this morning on I-10 just west of the Airline Highway exit near Sorrento. A State Police spokesperson said the boat came free from... more »

• Court seems unclear on house versus boat question

  October 1, 2012 12:31 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court seems torn on when the law should treat some floating homes as houseboats and when it should treat them as houses. The question came up Monday as the court was trying to figure out whether Riviera Beach, Florida should have used maritime law to seize... more »

• Shifting sands from Isaac reveal 1923 shipwreck

  September 7, 2012 2:45 PM

  GULF SHORES, Ala. - Tourists and locals alike are delighting in a 1923 shipwreck unearthed on an Alabama beach after Hurricane Isaac struck the region last month. The schooner Rachel grounded on the beach at Fort Morgan after a storm similar to Isaac pounded the Gulf Coast almost 90 years... more »

• Sinkhole swallows boat, workers rescued

  August 16, 2012 11:26 AM

  BAYOU CORNE - Emergency personnel rescued two workers who were cleaning up a portion of the Assumption Parish sinkhole when their boat was caught in it. The Assumption Parish Police Jury said the workers were on the southwest side of the sinkhole when 50 feet of land collapsed into... more »

• False River celebrates freedom with boats, water balloons

  July 4, 2012 5:55 PM

  NEW ROADS- The False River Boat Parade drew hundreds to the oxbow lake to celebrate Independence Day with friends and family. The traditional celebration's theme for this year was 'Save Our Saints,' something that had people decorating their piers and boats with 'Bounty-Gate' references. "I just decided to... more »

• Water balloons, boat parade on tap for False River

  July 4, 2012 10:11 AM

  NEW ROADS - The traditional Fourth of July boat parade is underway at False River. Boaters and revelers alike will arm themselves with thousands of water balloons for what could be the state's largest water war. The tradition also features boats and piers decorated in theme to honor... more »

• Dulac man arrested in death of shrimp boat captain

  June 26, 2012 2:15 PM

  HOUMA- Terrebonne Parish sheriff's deputies say it was a drug deal gone bad that prompted a Dulac man to drive to a Bayou Grand Caillou dock Sunday, shoot at one shrimper and kill another. Neither shrimper was involved in the alleged drug deal. Twenty-nine-year-old Richard Verdin Jr. was arrested... more »

• Baton Rouge couple escapes alligators after boat sinks

  June 25, 2012 2:49 PM

  PIERRE PART - A Baton Rouge couple whose boat sank this weekend in Lake Verrett spent hours up a tree to avoid alligators, until they were rescued by sheriff's deputies. The couple were found early Monday morning by Assumption Parish Sheriff's deputies. They were 15 feet up a cypress... more »

• Thousands of tourists in Baton Rouge thanks to cruise line

  May 20, 2012 1:52 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Start looking for new faces around town over the few next months. Thousands of tourists are expected to visit the Capital City thanks to several passenger ships stopping in Baton Rouge. Saturday morning, nearly 500 visitors arrived downtown, after the American Queen docked a fully booked... more »

• Guist family friend: "We're all in shock" Play Video

  May 14, 2012 10:29 PM

  GONZALES- Friends and family in Gonzales are remembering Mitchell Guist tonight, while people across the country are doing the same for the beloved TV star. Guist, a cast member of the History Channel's "Swamp People" show, with his brother Glenn, collapsed on a boat in Belle River near the... more »

• 2 killed in boat crash in Port of Iberia canal

  April 16, 2012 7:12 AM

  NEW IBERIA - Authorities say a father and son were killed when their boat crashed in the commercial canal of the Port of Iberia. Iberia Parish Sheriff Louis Ackal says the boat crashed around noon Saturday and caught on fire in the Commercial Canal about two miles from the boat... more »

• Body found by boat operator in Red River Play Video

  April 2, 2012 2:38 PM

  NEW ROADS - Sheriff's deputies said they're waiting on autopsy results after a woman's body was found in the Red River in Pointe Coupee Parish this weekend. Capt. Steve Juge said a tugboat operator found the body and notified them just before 4 p.m. Sunday. It was in the... more »

• Search crews find body of missing woman in Bogue Chitto River

  January 12, 2012 1:14 PM

  ST. TAMMANY PARISH - Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries officials found the body of a woman in Bogue Chitto River, who went missing with her husband 16 days ago after their boat capsized. Officials say it appears Kathy Holloway drowned, but they are waiting for the official cause of death... more »

• Search continues for missing BR couple Play Video

  December 29, 2011 5:47 PM

  BUSH- Search crews continue to look for a missing Baton Rouge couple near the Bogue Chitto Wildlife Refuge. William and Kathy Holloway were last heard from Tuesday. Their 14 foot, aluminum boat was discovered capsized about one mile from the Lock #3 Road boat launch near Bush. Day two... more »

• Jeanerette company gets $192M Coast Guard contract

  November 7, 2011 4:54 PM

  JEANERETTE - Metal Shark Aluminum Boats of Jeanerette has a $192 million contract to replace the Coast Guard's fleet of small port security boats. The company will build up to 500 of the boats, which are about 28 feet long, for the Coast Guard, president and co-owner Chris Allard said... more »

• Search for missing man after boat collision

  September 28, 2011 2:27 PM

  HOUMA, La. - The Coast Guard is searching for a man after a boat collision in the Houma Navigational Canal. The Coast Guard was notified about the collision around 7:40 a.m. Wednesday. Authorities say one of the boats, an aluminum-hulled oyster boat, sank and a person who was... more »

• LSU cheer coach, 4 others hurt in boat crash

  August 29, 2011 6:00 PM

  ST. AMANT, La. - Members of the LSU cheerleading squad got updates today on the condition of their assistant coach, 29-year-old Chico Garcia, who was hurt in a boat crash over the weekend. "He was pretty much paralyzed from the neck down. It's going to be a long road.... more »

• LSU cheer coach, 4 others hurt in boat crash

  August 29, 2011 11:01 AM

  ST. AMANT, La. - Members of the LSU cheerleading squad got updates today on the condition of an assistant coach who was hurt in a boat crash over the weekend. An assistant LSU cheerleading coach, two other adults and two minors were injured when their boat crashed Saturday into... more »

• Brothers accused of using boat to break into homes

  July 29, 2011 10:45 AM

  LIVINGSTON - A pair of brothers are accused of using a boat to burglarize homes in the Springfield area. Terry Pounder, 17, and Eric Brunet, 23, both of Springfield, were arrested Wednesday by LPSO detectives. Detectives say the men used a boat at least twice to break into... more »

• Girl missing after being thrown from boat

  July 17, 2011 12:31 PM

  CHALMETTE, La.- The Coast Guard is searching for a 12-year-old girl who was thrown from a boat following a collision with another boat Saturday in St. Bernard Parish. Authorities say the accident happened about 5:30 p.m. in Shell Beach Bayou. A boat searched for the girl through the... more »

• Boat ramps in St. Landry Parish reopened today

  June 14, 2011 10:43 AM

  OPELOUSAS - More areas in the Atchafalaya Basin are being reopened to boaters as record flooding recedes. Authorities in St. Landry Parish announced that all boat launches at Bayou Darbonne and the Grimmett Canal will be opened today. Sheriff's deputies are asking boaters to be careful since there... more »

• Part of Atchafalaya Basin reopened to boat traffic

  June 13, 2011 4:32 PM

  ST. MARTINVILLE - Authorities reopened all boat traffic for a four-mile portion of waterways in the Atchafalaya Basin today. The state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries had closed the area in St. Martin Parish on May 26 due to flooding from the Morganza Spillway. It stretched from the Henderson... more »

• Man dies after boat capsizes in Port Allen

  June 1, 2011 7:57 PM

  PORT ALLEN- A man is dead in West Baton Rouge after a boating incident in the Intracoastal Canal. It happened around 6 p.m. Wednesday, just feet from the Port Allen Lock at the boat launch in Port Allen. Sheriff Mike Cazes says Keary Jerard Hebert, 55, was trying... more »

• Several homes, camps flooded in St. Landry Parish

  June 1, 2011 5:39 PM

  ST. LANDRY PARISH - Boat launches are closed and several homes and camps are flooded on Old Cortableau Bayou and Bayou Darbonne in St. Landry Parish. Parish President Don Menard ordered boat launches close due to the increased water levels and the safety hazards boating poses for the residents... more »

• Part of Atchafalaya Basin closed to boat traffic

  May 26, 2011 4:33 AM

  BATON ROUGE- Beginning at 6 a.m. today, the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will close a four-mile stretch of the Atchafalaya Basin in St. Martin Parish to boat traffic. The closure area is from the Henderson levee on the west side to the Butte LaRose levee on the east... more »

• Butte LaRose protected by boat patrols

  May 17, 2011 5:46 PM

  BUTTE LAROSE- Boats are being used by St. Martin Parish Sheriff's deputies for safety and security in the Butte LaRose Canal. Many camps back up to the waterway, giving thieves or vandals the opportunity to do some damage while people have evacuated from the area. The St. Martin... more »

• WWII Museum moving partly restored PT boat

  April 6, 2011 1:50 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - The 78-foot PT boat spent decades after World War II as a 60-foot Chesapeake Bay trawler. Years of work in a cramped warehouse restored its length. On Wednesday, it was moved to the National World War II Museum's unfinished restoration pavilion. PT-305 is among three... more »

• Swamp boat captain helps preserve our La. legacy

  February 21, 2011 9:56 AM

  HENDERSON, La.- Curtis Allemond has spent decades guiding tours in the Atchafalaya Basin. The 76-year-old boat captain says staying active keeps him healthy. To some people he's Mr. Curtis...to locals he's "Captain T." "Mr. Curtis is a legend to the area," air boat captain Lynn Landry said. "He's... more »

• 4 die, 1 lives after boat capsizes in Gulf near La

  February 13, 2011 9:59 AM

  VENICE, La.- Four people died and one was rescued Saturday after their boat capsized during a fishing trip on the Gulf of Mexico, according to Louisiana authorities. Department of Wildlife and Fisheries spokesman Adam Einck said the five left a marina near Venice in south Louisiana at about 6:30... more »

• Deputies rescue woman trapped on boat

  December 9, 2010 2:46 PM

  MANCHAC- Deputies in Tangiphaoa Parished rescued a woman who became trapped in a boat she didn't know how to use. Officials say the woman called 911 and reported that she was trapped in a boat. When deputies arrived at the scene, they found her trying to paddle across the... more »

• Extra search scheduled for missing LSU alumnus

  December 3, 2010 10:54 AM

  BATON ROUGE - The Coast Guard has scheduled an extra two-hour search this afternoon for James de Brueys after it was called off yesterday, according to his sister Simone de Brueys. Simone told News 2 the Coast Guard scheduled the search after e-mails from friends of James flooded Senator... more »

• 10-hour standoff ends with tear gas, arrest

  November 30, 2010 5:23 PM

  PIERRE PART – Assumption Parish authorities said a ten-hour standoff with a Pierre Part man ended after he fired at officers, then surrendered when tear gas was fired into the house boat he was in. 45-year-old Tom Templet was arrested after the standoff yesterday. Deputies said they were called around... more »

• Man accused of registering stolen boat as self-built

  November 29, 2010 11:50 AM

  BATON ROUGE – State wildlife agents arrested a 21-year-old man after they said he tried to register a stolen boat as if he had made it himself. 21-year-old Zachary Rarick of Pride was arrested Nov. 23 on charges he filed false records and applications and injured public records. He was... more »

• After 50 days adrift, 3 teens rescued in S Pacific

  November 25, 2010 12:21 PM

  WELLINGTON, New Zealand - There's already been a memorial service, but now three teens who had been missing in the South Pacific for 50 days have been found alive. The crew of a tuna boat saw them frantically waving for help yesterday afternoon -- 800 miles from where they started.... more »

• Woman who helped spill response goes to D.C.

  November 13, 2010 10:47 AM

  HOUMA - A Terrebonne Parish woman who served as a go-between during the Gulf of Mexico oil spill - aiding communications among fishermen, BP and government agencies - is back from a trip to Washington, where she shared her experiences. Julie Falgout, wife of former shrimp boat captain Dean Falgout,... more »

• Four men rescued from sinking boat in Timbalier Bay

  September 30, 2010 2:58 PM

  Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement Division agents rescued four crewmen from a sinking commercial shrimp boat in Timbalier Bay. Agents responded to a distress call Wednesday afternoon from the "Hippy Boy", which was located west of Belle Pass. The four crewmen safely rescued were Lenh Thach,... more »

• Bridge repairs close Chicot boat launches

  September 20, 2010 4:54 AM

  Chicot State Park is closing its three boat launches today because the lake has been drawn down for routine inspections and repairs on the bridge over Walker's Cove. The Department of Transportation and Development opened the lake's control structure after Labor Day and has been letting the water fall a... more »

• NTSB: Duck boat calls unanswered before collision

  September 10, 2010 2:05 PM

  An idled tour boat and nearby vessels repeatedly called the tugboat guiding the barge that hit and sank it, killing two Hungarian students, that's according to a preliminary federal report. The National Transportation Safety Board said the Ride the Ducks boat's radio calls went unanswered moments before the collision... more »

• Shrimpers rescued from burning boat in Tangipahoa Parish

  September 8, 2010 11:33 AM

  Three shrimpers trapped on a burning boat were rescued by a pair of Houma sisters who were out crabbing, according to authorities. The Houma newspaper reports that 27-year-old Carla Ghere of Bayou Blue and 26-year-old Carolyn Tillman saw the boat on fire shortly before 6 a.m. Monday, on Lake Boudreaux.... more »

• LSU AgCenter: Remove oil from boats quickly

  July 17, 2010 9:46 AM

  An LSU AgCenter watershed management expert advises boaters to quickly clean any oil that gets onto their boats as they enjoy the decision to open state waters to recreational fishing. Brian LeBlanc says fishermen can't always avoid oiled areas. Oil can stain boats if it's not quickly cleaned. LeBlanc says... more »

• LDWF opens closed waters for fishing

  July 15, 2010 6:53 PM

  Oily water or not, sport fishermen can now catch and keep at their own risk. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries opened waters that were closed. News 2’s Rob Krieger found charter fishermen are reeling. more »

• Second body found in duck boat accident

  July 9, 2010 11:56 AM

  A second body has been recovered in the Philadelphia Duck Boat accident, in the Delaware River. Hungarian officials say U.S. authorities have already informed them that a body recovered earlier this morning, belonged to a female tourist. Dora Schwendtner, 16, was one of the two people who disappeared... more »

• UPDATE: Boat explosion sends 5 to hospital

  July 5, 2010 6:15 PM

  UPDATED INFORMATION: One person who was injured in the explosion is still in the hospital, four others are recovering. Investigators believe a spark ignited gas fumes near the gas tank causing the boat to explode. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has not released the names of... more »

• Local businesses' sales drop due to oil spill

  June 30, 2010 5:36 PM

  The owner of Ascension Marine says his boat sales have plummeted since the oil spill crisis. Owner Joel Campanile says May and June are normally his best months, but his boats sales are down about 50 percent. Parts and service sales are also down. Campanile says he's hired an... more »

• Boater missing in Lake Pontchartrain

  June 21, 2010 6:31 AM

  The Coast Guard continues their search for a man who fell into Lake Pontchartrain after a boat carrying four men collided with the Causeway Bridge. The accident happened around 9:50 p.m. Sunday about one mile from the Metairie side of the span. The Coast Guard said two of the men... more »

• Update: Body of one missing boater found

  May 30, 2010 9:41 AM

  Update: Wildlife and Fisheries agents say the St. John's Parish Sheriff's search crews have recovered the body of one of the missing boaters. Agents will not release the name of the person found until family is notified. Crews are combing the waters where the body was found in hopes of... more »

• Search called off for missing boaters

  May 3, 2010 6:39 AM

  Rescue officials have ended their search for two boaters missing since their pirogue capsized on the Mississippi River. Crews searched Saturday and Sunday morning for the men to no avail. The Coast Guard said the two men were traveling with their dog Saturday when their boat capsized after getting stuck... more »

• Casino company might expand size of BR project

  April 28, 2010 5:44 AM

  The head of Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. says the casino company might expand its plans for a new gambling riverboat and hotel complex in Baton Rouge. CEO Anthony Sanfilippo says Pinnacle is confident it can establish a "best-in-market" gambling complex in Baton Rouge. Pinnacle plans to compete with two existing casino... more »

• Boating deaths down 6 from 2008 to 2009

  April 28, 2010 5:37 AM

  Louisiana's Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says boating deaths are down from 2008. In 2009, 32 people died in boating wrecks in Louisiana, six fewer than in 2008. Of 17 who drowned, 15 were not wearing life vests, and alcohol caused one-fourth of last year's 25 fatal wrecks. Boating deaths... more »

• Turkey Creek Lake drawdown set for early summer

  March 4, 2010 4:58 AM

  Turkey Creek Lake in Franklin Parish will be drawdown on Saturday, May 15. The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says the drawdown is necessary to kill the invasive floating plant, giant salvinia. Drawing down the lake will dry out and kill the plant. During warm weather, giant salvinia can spread... more »

• Missing boater found dead in Iberville Parish

  February 15, 2010 8:45 AM

  The body of a boater gone missing in Iberville Parish has been found. According to deputies, the boater went missing Sunday afternoon around 2 p.m. Crews searched into the night, but only found his boat. The search resumed this morning, and found the body around 8:30 a.m. The Iberville... more »

• Boater pleads not guilty to deaths on False River

  December 8, 2009 11:32 AM

  A man accused in the deaths of three men on the False River in New Roads last September pleaded not guilty Tuesday. Jerry Jordan, of Lafayette, is charged with three counts of vehicular homicide. Investigators say he was drunk when his boat crashed into another. Christopher Austin, Brian Doherty and... more »

• Pirates attack Maersk Alabama again

  November 18, 2009 6:52 AM

  For the second time in seven months, Somali pirates have attacked the Maersk Alabama, but guards on board the U.S.-flagged cargo ship repelled the takeover attempt. Pirates hijacked the Maersk Alabama last April and took ship captain Richard Phillips hostage, holding in a lifeboat for five days. more »

• Killian fire destroys home and boats

  October 29, 2009 6:12 PM

  UPDATE: One house and at least four boats, including a cigarette boat worth $200,000, were completely demolished by a fire in Killian early Thursday morning. The blaze jumped from one house to another, damaging the neighboring house. Volunteer firefighters were able to control the blaze before it could... more »

• Coast Guard training exercise causes scare

  September 11, 2009 10:12 AM

  A Coast Guard training exercise near the Pentagon sparked confusion and fear in Washington, D.C., as September 11 commemorations were underway Friday. It happened on the Potomac River. No shots were fired, but media reports suggested shots had been fired in the river and showed vessels circling in the... more »

• Boat capsizes off coast of Africa

  September 10, 2009 7:36 AM

  Police say at least 221 people missing, 8 dead after boat capsizes near Sierra Leone's coast. more »

• Man indicted in boat crash surrenders

  September 3, 2009 3:26 PM

  Jerry Jordan is back on the streets after turning himself in to authorities in Pointe Coupee Parish this afternoon. Jorden brought in a cashier's check for the full $75,000 bond. Jordan was indicted on three counts of vehicular homicide, after authorities say he crashed his boat on False River... more »