Sad news to report out of Vermilion Parish as an Abbeville man likely drowned after he fell from his boat in the Hebert Canal over the weekend.

Officials with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries say the man has been identified as 52-year-old Jeremy Stelly of Abbeville.

LDWF agents along with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office and the Vermilion Parish Sheriff's Office were notified on Sunday morning of a boater who had not returned from a fishing trip the day before.

A search was begun immediately and very shortly afterward an unmanned 18-foot vessel was found.

The search for Stelly continued throughout the day on Sunday and into the night, according to LDWF. Several Facebook posts were shared that family and friends were out looking for Stelly as well.

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Around 12:40 pm on Monday, Stelly's body was located. LDWF agents believe that Stelly was operating his vessel when he attempted to make a tight turn and was ejected from the vessel.

LDWF officials say that an initial investigation revealed that Stelly was not wearing a personal floatation device or engine cutoff switch when his body was recovered.

Stelly's body was turned over to the Vermilion Parish Coroner's Office to determine the official cause of death.

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