Body Of Tugboat Captain Found On Mississippi River

A body found on the west bank of the Mississippi River has been identified as that of a Tugboat Captain missing since January. An autopsy showed that Chester Cheramie, 40, drowned, the St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office said. The Orleans Parish coroner's office used dental records to determine the body's identity. Cheramie's tugboat sank Jan. 25 about four miles south of the Hale Boggs Bridge. Last Sunday, a crew member of a boat spotted a body floating near the riverbank, St. Charles Parish officials said. The cause of the sinking was unknown. The river level was high and the current was strong because of upriver snow melt and spring rains, but the Coast Guard was unsure if that was a factor. The Coast Guard is investigating the accident.