RedactedNarrative: On September 24, 2022 at 7:37pm I, Wildlife Officer, received a call from Dyer County, TN Sheriffs Office dispatch in reference to a possible boating accident on the Mississippi River.  Dispatch advised that a vessel had struck a barge on the Mississippi River north of the Interstate 155 bridge.  Dispatch advised that a male subject was missing from the area and a female subject had been recovered and was on board a barge with possible injuries.
  
  	Before I arrived on scene I spoke with, Pemiscot County, Missouri Conservation Agent, Corporal at 8:02pm who said they were putting a boat in the water at Caruthersville and advised that it would be the closest ramp for us as well due to low water levels.  I requested dispatch to notify command staff for approval to use the Caruthersville, MO boat ramp if needed.  
  
  	I arrived on scene at the closest boat ramp on the Tennessee side (Boothspoint Ramp off Bunge Rd.) at approximately 8:10pm.  Officers were unable to launch our vessel at this location due to low water levels and an incoming thunderstorm.  At 8:49pm I spoke with Cpl. and he advised they had the female subject in their vessel and were en route to the Caruthersville Boat Ramp to avoid the storm.
  
  	At approximately 9:38pm Tennessee wildlife officers went to  the Caruthersville Boat Ramp to assist Missouri State Highway Patrol with the accident. The accident occurred on the Missouri/Tennessee state line and it was unsure, at the time, which agency would have jurisdiction.
  
  	Missouri officers advised that the preliminary reports are that a barge (Eileen Bigelow) was traveling downstream on the Mississippi River near mile marker 842 when Missouri vessel came out from behind a rock dike and struck the barge on her starboard side.  A male subject (Operator1) was ejected from the vessel while the female subject (V1 occupant) was still on the vessel.  V1 occupant was recovered from the vessel by another barge''s (Alice Cooper) tender vessel.  V1 occupant provided a statement and said that Operator1 was ejected from the vessel.  V1 occupant stated that Operator1 surfaced briefly, screamed for help, then he went under and she did not see him again.  Operator1''s vessel sustained damage towards the front starboard side.  Operator1 is still missing at this time.
  
  	Tennessee wildlife officers towed the vessel involved in the incident back to the Caruthersvile boat ramp while Missouri officers spoke with the occupants of the barge (Eileen Bigelow) involved.  Missouri officer''s took the vessel to the Pemiscot County, MO Sheriff''s Office facility for storage.
  
  	On September 27, 2022 myself and Missouri State Highway Patrol Sergeant with their Major Crash Investigation Team reviewed and mapped out the vessel for the accident.  Upon investigating the engine and gear shift, we noticed that the engine would stay in forward gear.  When the lever was shifted to neutral or reverse the engine would stay in forward gear. The propeller would spin in a forward direction and even increase speed if the lever was pushed far back (the way you would if trying to stop or reverse).
  
  	As of September 27, 2022 at approximately 3:00pm we received reports that a body, matching the description of Operator1, had been found near Mississippi River Mile Marker 627, Clarksdale, MS.  A positive identification was made at approximately 6:00pm and next of kin notified by Pemiscot County, MO Sheriff''s Office. *** Report was updated to include information on the M/V Eileen Bigelow, M/V operator and change from missing to fatality.  
  
  Further investigation has revealed that the Express Jon Boat was traveling upstream and while on a starboard to starboard passing with downbound M/V Eileen Bigelow, the Express turned to the right and collided with the side of a tank barge being pushed by the M/V Eileen Bigelow.  
  
  This is an active investigation and a final report will be