On, June 17, 2013 I (SR. Agent, LDWF employee) was notified of a boating incident that occurred on the Tchefuncte River at 9am. I responded by land to the town of Madisonville, La. Lakefront. I arrived at 9:30 am, and observed a partially swamped party barge (LA 6634 EZ) located approximately on the extended centerline of the river. The operator, and his only passenger, were on land waiting for salvage operation to begin.
As I was beginning this report a Boat US recovery vessel arrived and eventually brought the incident boat to shore and got it loaded on the trailer. I observed and photographed the damage to the boat. The most serious damage was to the port pontoon. The pontoon was crushed consistent with a force applied to the bottom. The pontoon had crush damage that deformed its shape, which apparently caused the welded on cap at the end of the structure to completely separate from the pontoon. I observed the weld had failed around the entire circumference. This flooded the aft portion of the port pontoon causing the vessel to partly submerge. Other damage was the propeller which was completely destroyed by the operator’s efforts to get the vessel off the ground. 
The mouth of the river is marked with day marks that direct boats exiting the mouth of the river to turn to starboard and follow the lake shore a considerable distance before turning port in a clear channel. Traveling straight out of the river will take a boat into a shallow area with stumps, sandbars and water depths of 1-2 feet. This is where operator attempted to operate his boat.
I photographed the boat, took witness statements from all occupants, informed operator of the legal requirement to make a written report of the incident, gave him a Boat Operators Incident report form, and released him and the boat.
MADISONVILLE