BRAITHWAITE, La. (AP) - Authorities say foul play is suspected in the disappearance of a Ukrainian crew member of a bulk carrier anchored in the Mississippi River near Braithwaite in Plaquemines Parish.
The Plaquemines Sheriff’s Office tells The Times-Picayune (https://bit.ly/LxQphj ) that 27-year-old Igor Yavorskyyne was ordered by his ship’s captain to investigate an incident of intoxicated crewmates on Friday. Yavorskyy is from Odessa, Ukraine.
The sheriff’s office says a red blood-like substance was found later on the Ocean Lion’s main upper deck.
Upon being notified of that discovery, the ship’s captain ordered a count of all personnel aboard the ship, at which time it was discovered that Yavorskyy was missing.
The Sheriff’s Office, which was informed of Yavorskyy’s disappearance at about 9:45 p.m. Friday, subsequently obtained a search warrant, but investigators were unable to locate Yavorskyy, according to a statement released by the Sheriff’s Office on Saturday.
But during that search, investigators say they found possible blood evidence on crew members’ clothing, as well as in a living quarters.
The Sheriff’s Office is being assisted in the investigation by the FBI in New Orleans, along with the Plaquemines Parish Port Authority, the U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
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