After three days of searching, the body of Jimmy Jett — a father of five who disappeared after falling overboard while fishing with friends off the Louisiana coast — has been recovered.
Jett was aboard a fishing boat near Marsh Island early Sunday, Aug. 24, when he fell into the water, according to KLFY and KADN.
Multiple agencies, including local sheriff’s offices, the United Cajun Navy, and the U.S. Coast Guard, immediately began a large-scale search. The Coast Guard coordinated aerial sweeps, while divers and boats scoured the waters below, KLFY reported. Search crews suspended efforts at nightfall but resumed each morning.
On Monday, Aug. 25, the United Cajun Navy announced on Facebook that they were working closely with the Coast Guard about 12 miles south of Marsh Island and even shared a map outlining the search grid.
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“The map track shown is the grid being run by our good friends at Southern Sea Plane out of Belle Chasse, La.,” the organization wrote, noting that several other aircraft had also been deployed in the search. The group urged the public to “please keep the family and friends in your prayers.”
By Tuesday morning, Aug. 26, the Coast Guard notified the United Cajun Navy that the search was over.
“They called us this morning and thanked us for helping,” said Brian Trascher, national vice president for the United Cajun Navy, in a statement to PEOPLE. “They told us we could ground the aircraft because they had found him.”
Although officials did not share details about how Jett ended up in the water, Trascher said the Coast Guard believes he drowned. His body was positively identified, and the Vermilion Parish Coroner’s Office later confirmed the recovery to KLFY.
