Missing Louisiana barge worker’s body found in Mississippi River

On Mar. 14, authorities recovered the body of Donny Mitchell, a Louisiana barge worker who went missing on Feb. 7 after slipping off a barge while working, WLBT reports.

The discovery was made after Adams County Port Director Anthony Hauer contacted Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten at 4:01 p.m. to report a possible sighting of a body floating in the Mississippi River during the unloading of a barge.

Following the call, the Adams County Investigative Unit, along with search and rescue, emergency management, Natchez Fire Department, and Mississippi Wildlife and Fisheries, rushed to the scene. At 4:22 p.m., the search and rescue team and Mississippi Wildlife and Fisheries successfully retrieved the body. Sheriff Patten confirmed that the recovered body was that of Donny Mitchell.

The body was handed over to the county coroner and transported to Merritt Health Hospital where the morgue is located.