July 17, 2016
NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard is searching for a person in the water on the Lower Mississippi River near mile marker 179, near Donaldsonville, Sunday.
Missing is Capt. Ambarish Parekh, last seen wearing a blue shirt and long pants with a personal flotation device.
Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans were notified at 9:30 a.m. by the operator of the tugboat Charlotte, via the Vessel Traffic Service. It was reported that the missing man was attempting to board the freight vessel African Raptor from a crew boat and fell off a ramp connecting the two vessels.
Involved in the search are:
- Coast Guard Station New Orleans 29-foot Response Boat-Small crew
- Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew
- Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile HC-144 crew
- Ascension Parish Sherriff's Office
- New Orleans Port Authority
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sector New Orleans Command Center at (504) 365-2209.