RedactedNarrative: On June 8, 2022 at approximately 5:00 p.m., Operator1 was observed operating his vessel, LA-6042-FZ, a 2011, 17', Generation G3, aluminum boat downstream on the Mississippi River near Baton Rouge in East Baton Rouge Parish.  According to witnesses Operator1 was cruising down the river near Exxon Mobil Refining and Supply Co. wharf when, for reasons unclear, he made a sharp turn easterly then back south.  Witnesses said after this maneuver occurred the bow of Operator1's vessel dove sharply forward into the water resulting in the ejection of the operator from the vessel into the water.  They witnessed the vessel sink and the operator go under the water, resurface briefly, then go back under, never to resurface.  Area mariners tried to get to Operator1 for rescue but were unsuccessful.
  
      On June 11, 2022, Operator1's body was recovered on the west bank of the Mississippi river near Plaquemine in Iberville Parish. The East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner determined drowning as the cause of death.  Operator1 was not wearing a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) at the time his body was recovered and it is unknown if he was wearing one at the time of the incident.  Shipping traffic on the Mississippi River near the Port of Greater Baton Rouge is routinely heavy and constant consisting of large transport vessels pushing heavy barges regularly creating large wakes which can be visibly misleading in relation to height resulting in hazardous navigation conditions for smaller vessels.  It is the opinion of the investigating Agent that vessel struck one of these wakes and was unable to maneuver through it safely.  It is this investigator's further opinion that the vessel used by Operator1 was inadequate for the conditions commonly experienced in this area of the river.  Operator1's vessel has not been rcovered at this time.