Executive Summary
- John F. Lowe, 58, of DeRidder, died after a duck hunting boat capsized on Bundick Lake in Beauregard Parish early Saturday morning.
- The incident occurred when the 14-foot aluminum boat, carrying four people, began taking on water and overturned around 3 a.m.
- According to survivors, Lowe had removed his personal flotation device shortly before the boat sank and did not resurface.
A 58-year-old man from DeRidder died early Saturday after a duck hunting boat capsized on Bundick Lake in Beauregard Parish, according to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF). The incident occurred at approximately 3 a.m. and is currently under investigation.
The victim was identified as John F. Lowe. He was one of four individuals in a 14-foot aluminum boat that began to take on water and subsequently overturned. LDWF agents were notified and responded to the scene.
According to statements from the three survivors, all four occupants were initially wearing personal flotation devices (PFDs). However, Lowe reportedly removed his PFD to take off his waders. The boat sank before he could put the device back on, and he did not resurface. The other three hunters were able to cling to the capsized vessel until they were rescued by another boater.
Lowe’s body was recovered from the lake later that day at approximately 12:30 p.m. The Beauregard Parish Coroner’s Office has taken custody of the body to determine an official cause of death. The LDWF investigation into the incident is ongoing.