Mississippi
BODY RECOVERED: Donny Mitchell fell into Mississippi River Feb. 8 – Mississippi’s Best Community Newspaper
BODY RECOVERED: Donny Mitchell fell into Mississippi River Feb. 8
Printed 6:07 pm Tuesday, March 14, 2023
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Rescue staff safe space forward of physique’s restoration. (submitted)
Search and rescue staff make their solution to scene.
First responders await restoration of Mitchell’s physique. (submitted)
NATCHEZ — Lacking for greater than a month, the physique of Donny Mitchell was recovered late Tuesday afternoon from the Mississippi River.
Mitchell, 50, of Clayton, Louisiana, fell into the Mississippi River at about 4:30 a.m. on Feb. 8 from a barge whereas making an attempt to climb a ladder onto a walkway at Buzzi Unicem USA’s terminal on L.E. Berry Highway in Natchez.
“At 4:01 p.m., I acquired a cellphone name from Adams County Port Director Anthony Hauer stating that he believed he noticed a physique within the river,” stated Travis Patten, Adams County Sheriff. “They had been down there unloading one other barge, and Hauer stated there seemed to be a physique float up with denims and a shirt on.
“At that time, I contacted my investigators with the Adams County Sheriff’s Workplace, known as for search and rescue, contacted emergency administration and contacted the Mississippi Wildlife and Fisheries for help,” Patten stated.
He stated Natchez Fireplace Chief Robert Arrington was additionally on the scene this afternoon, serving to with the restoration effort.
“At roughly 4:22 p.m., Adams County Search and Rescue launched their boat within the river, adopted shortly after by Mississippi Wildlife and Fisheries. They had been in a position to retrieve the physique from beneath the pier and had been in a position to positively establish as Mr. Donny Mitchell,” Patten stated.
He stated identification of the physique was made on the scene as a result of Mitchell had his driver’s license in his pockets on his individual.
“The household has been notified at this level and Adams County Coroner James Lee’s workplace has taken possession of the physique,” the sheriff stated.
“We all know this tragic occasion has been extraordinarily laborious on the household, and we hope this helps carry closure to the state of affairs. Our ideas and our prayers are with them,” he stated.
On Feb. 8, Arrington stated witnesses to the accident threw Mitchell a life preserver ring, however he was unable to seize it. They then tried to save lots of the person utilizing a drag hook, however had been unsuccessful.
Responders from the Adams County Sheriff’s Workplace, Natchez Fireplace Division, Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Workplace and the Mississippi and Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries places of work labored for practically every week to find and get well Mitchell’s physique. AMR ambulance service arrange its cell incident command heart with the intention to give a unified command in the course of the search, Patten stated.
The sheriff’s workplace used its drone with warmth sensing to help within the search, all to no avail. The chilly temperature of the water, together with the swift currents and excessive winds hampered search efforts.
Each effort was made to find Mitchell’s physique, together with transferring a walkway close to the place barges docked. Knowledgeable fisherman with superior sonar know-how got here in to scan the realm. Even a non-public dive staff employed by Buzzi Unicem was unsuccessful in finding Mitchell.