Missing Louisiana barge worker found dead in Mississippi River

The body of a Louisiana barge worker who went missing last month has been pulled from the Mississippi River near Natchez, Mississippi, authorities said.

Donny Mitchell, 50, a 20-year employee of Buzzi Unicem USA, went missing on Feb. 7 after slipping off a barge while working early that morning. Witnesses tried to get a life preserver ring to him and tried to grab Mitchell with a drag hook but were unsuccessful at saving him.

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Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten said Adams County Port Director Anthony Hauer called him Tuesday shortly after 4 p.m. saying he believed they’d spotted a body floating in the river as they were unloading a barge, WLBT-TV reported. The Adams County Investigative Unit, search and rescue, emergency management, Natchez Fire Department, and Mississippi Wildlife and Fisheries responded to the scene.

Patten said the search and rescue team and the Mississippi Wildlife and Fisheries’ crew recovered the body Tuesday afternoon. The sheriff said the body was turned over to the county coroner and transported to Merritt Health Hospital, where the morgue is located.

“We are glad to finally locate Mr. Donny Mitchell, and we hope this brings closure to the family,” Patten said.