Tragically, last October, a 20-year-old crewmember aboard a towboat fell into the Mississippi River. His body was recovered about two weeks later on the Illinois side of the waterway.
According to Professional Mariner, the victim fell from the Charlie G into the upper Mississippi River on October 8, near Missouri. He allegedly fell sometime after the vessel passed through Lock and Dam 19. Reports indicate that Marquette Transportation owns the vessel the man worked aboard.
A coroner ruled the man’s death a drowning, and no foul play was reported in the incident. It remains unclear as to how or why the man fell, although he was not wearing a life jacket when the incident took place. The accident remains under investigation.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) led the search for the victim’s body. The Coast Guard, Illinois State Police, Quincy Area Volunteer Emergency Corps in Illinois and several other agencies also assisted during the search. At the time of the incident, the towboat had allegedly tied off two barges it was pushing and launched a work skiff to search for the man.
An Attorney Can Help You Following a Drowning Incident
Drowning incidents can be incredibly traumatic for family members, as there are often stressful searches that follow an accident. Whenever our maritime trial lawyers work with families of drowning victims, we provide them with compassionate counsel. Additionally, we work with experienced personnel who can determine if the victim suffered through hypothermia or pain prior to his or her death.
Although this seems gloomy, it can help when our lawyers need to explain to a jury how an incident took place and can help when seeking damages during a wrongful death claim.
In the video above, attorney Carolyn Latti discusses how you can contact our maritime trial lawyers following an accident. Our firm represents victims and family member who have suffered due to maritime accidents from all over the United States.
Latti Associates LLC – Nationwide Maritime Attorneys