Boy Scout dies near end of Basin paddling trip

A Boy Scout died Friday afternoon in St. Mary Parish while on a 61-mile canoe trip in the Atchafalaya Basin and less than two miles from the end of the trek.

The 16-year-old boy “suffered a major medical issue that resulted in his passing,” said Art Hawkins, scout executive for the Boy Scouts of America Evangeline Area Council. The identity of the boy hasn’t been released, but Hawkins said the boy was from another state.

The boy was participating in Louisiana Swamp Base, a five-day, 61.3-mile paddle trek through the Atchafalaya Basin starting near Krotz Springs and ending at Myette Point in St. Mary Parish.

Participants were on their final day of paddling and just less than two miles from the end of the trip when the incident occurred just offshore from the Charenton Beach boat launch. About 20 scouts and leaders were with the boy at the time.

“They did all they could do to resuscitate the young man, unfortunately to no avail,” Hawkins said by phone.

One of the trek guides performed life-saving techniques on the boy, but was unable to save the boy’s life. The other guide hit the SOS button on a spot device and called 911.

Swamp Base is in its sixth year with roughly 2,000 scouts from around the country having participated in the program. Over the five-day trip, participants stay in house boats and hammocks, ride in airboats, learn about the Chitimacha Tribe and make their own blow darts, Hawkins said.

Scouts were overwhelmed with the positive response from the community following the tragic incident, Hawkins said.

Chitimacha Fire Rescue was on scene within five minutes. St. Mary Parish and Acadian medical personnel also responded.

“The community rallied around what was happening, took the scouts … to the Little Pass Baptist Church. And they opened their doors and brought the scouts in, got them food, got them some drink, took care of them,” Hawkins said.

The church’s pastor and volunteer firefighters loaded all of the Boy Scout group’s gear into a trailer.

“It’s a little community with a huge heart. We can’t thank them enough for quickly mobilizing and having the compassion that they did,” he said.

“This is an extremely difficult time for our Scouting family,” Hawkins said in an emailed statement. “We are sad to confirm the death of one of our youth members after he became unresponsive while on a canoe trip. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, and we will support them in any way that we can.”

“We are mindful of the impact this incident may have on Scouts and volunteers present on the outing, and grief counselors are standing by to care for our Scouts and adult volunteers,” Hawkins said in the statement.