Search for 2 Missing persons on Lower Mississippi River

The Coast Guard and local rescue agencies are searching for two people in a fishing vessel near mile marker 363 on the Lower Mississippi River, in Claiborne County, Miss., Friday.

Watchstanders with Coast Guard Sector Lower Mississippi River received a report from the Claiborne County Sheriff office at 10:46 a.m., Thursday that a fishing vessel with two people aboard was overdue. Last contact with the vessel was at 12 a.m., Wednesday as they were leaving Bayou Pierre and entering the Lower Mississippi River at mile marker 395.

The boat is an 18 ft. long, six to eight foot-wide, flat bottom Commercial Fisher. The hull is aluminum and is not painted. The vessel also has onboard a black, 40-horse power outboard Mercury engine.

Coast Guard Sector Lower Mississippi River deployed a 25-foot Response Boat and crew to search for the vessel.

The search area extends from mile marker 363 to 303 on the Lower Mississippi River.

Also searching are:
*       Natchez County Game Warden
*       Jackson County Game Warden
*       Claiborne County Sheriff  Office
*       Tensas Parish
*       Civil Air Patrol and Coast Guard Auxiliary Air resources