Trapped 82-year-old fisherman slowly sank in mud for hours until help came, cops say

An 82-year-old man survived an angler’s nightmare when he found himself trapped “for several hours” in the muddy equivalent of quicksand, according to Louisiana investigators.

The terrifying predicament happened Sunday, March 23, in a wooded area off Interstate 10 in LaPlace, the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office said in a March 26 news release. LaPlace is about a 30-mile drive east from New Orleans.

Investigators say the man was crawfishing when he became mired waist deep.

“The man, whose family reported him missing after not hearing from him for more than eight hours, told St. John officers that he got stuck after he attempted to cross a deep patch of water on foot,” the sheriff’s office said.

“When he started sinking, he tried to turn around but was unable to pull himself out of the muddy water. The man said his cell phone had gotten wet and would not work.”

Searchers located the man’s vehicle shortly before 11:30 p.m. Sunday, and a drone spotted him “about two-tenths of a mile away” in the woods, officials said.

Sergeant Jonathan Walker hiked to the spot, bringing a life jacket to toss to the man. Walker then used a rope to pull him back to solid ground, officials said.

“The man was alert and was transported to a local hospital ... for further treatment,” the sheriff’s office said.

Details of his condition were not released. The man lives in Destrehan, which is about a 20-mile drive southeast from LaPlace.

St. John Sheriff Mike Tregre noted the experience illustrates why anglers, hunters and hikers need to alert friends and family before striking out.

“Always let someone know where you are going, where you will be and when you will be back,” Tregre said in the release. “You never know what will happen.”

This story was originally published March 27, 2025 at 8:51 AM with the headline "Trapped 82-year-old fisherman slowly sank in mud for hours until help came, cops say."