Drowning Reported In St. Martin Parish
Labor Day weekend is the unofficial end of Summer for much of the country. Here in Louisiana, we will have another month or so of summerlike weather so we just look at Labor Day as a reason to get out and enjoy fun our state's abundant lakes, rivers, bayous, and bays. Unfortunately, sometimes that Summer fun can turn deadly. Such was the case yesterday in St. Martin Parish.
St. Martin Parish Sheriff's officials say they received a call about a missing swimmer late yesterday afternoon. The call came into the SMPSO at about 4 pm. The report indicated that a man swimming off a party barge in Belle River near Bayou Magazille had gone missing from his companions.
Two other sheriff's departments, Assumption Parish and St. Mary Parish also sent crews to the scene. At about 8:30 last night the body of 58-year-old Donald T. Matherne of Port Allen was recovered. An investigation into circumstances around Matherne's death is ongoing.