THE OPERATOR OF VESSEL 1 WAS DROPPED OFF AT THE WESTWEGO BOAT LAUNCH BY HIS BROTHER . HE LAUNCHED HIS VESSEL AND TRAVELED SOUTH IN BAYOU SEGNETTE.  AT APPROXIMATELY 12:00 NOON, HE WAS LAST SEEN BY A WITNESS, WITNESS 1.  THE OPERATOR STOPPED BY THE WITNESSES CAMP TO RETRIEVE BRICKS TO WEIGH DOWN THE FRONT OF HIS VESSEL DUE TO CAVITATION.  THE WITNESS STATED THAT THE OPERATOR THEN LEFT THE CAMP WITH THE INTENTIONS ON TRAVELING BY WATER TO THE TOWN OF LAFITTE IN ORDER TO FISH. THE OPERATOR WAS REPORTED MISSING BY FAMILY MEMBERS THE FOLLOWING MORNING AND AGENTS FROM THE LDWF BEGAN SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS IN THE AREA. VESSEL 1 WAS FOUND ADRIFT IN BAYOU SEGNETTE AND THE OPERATOR HAS NOT YET BEEN LOCATED.  ACCORDING TO THE WITNESS, THE OPERATOR OF VESSEL 1 WAS WEARING A TYPE II PFD WHILE ON THE WATER, HOWEVER THE BOTTOM STRAP WAS NOT BUCKLED.  THE PFD HAS NOT BEEN RECOVERED AND WAS NOT IN THE VESSEL. IN ADDITION THE WITNESS STATED THAT THE OPERATOR APPEARED TO BE HEAVILY IMPAIRED AND HAS A HISTORY OF ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE.  FAMILY AND FRIEND OF THE OPERATOR MADE STATEMENTS THAT HE HAD GONE MISSING ON TWO PREVIOUS OCCASIONS AND THAT THEY HAD FOUND HIM IN THE MARSH SLEEPING SEVERAL DAYS LATER.  IT IS UNKNOWN IF THE OPERATOR HAD FALLEN OVERBOARD, HOWEVER, HIS PIROR HISTORY MAY SUGGEST THAT HE IS IN THE MARSH AREA AROUND BAYOU SEGNETTE. SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS ARE ONGOING.
WESTWEGO                      