Woman drowns trying to swim across Intracoastal Waterway near Houma twin spans, police say
A Houma woman drowned Tuesday night as she tried to swim across the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway near the twin spans, police said today.
Houma Police identified the victim as 45-year-old Roberta Mackles.
Officers responded about 7 p.m. to a report of a woman drowning near the downtown bridges, the department said in a news release.
“The responding officers then learned that for an unknown reason the female victim entered the waterway and attempted to swim from the west bank of the waterway to the east bank,” the release says. “As she swam across the Intracoastal, witnesses lost sight of her as she sunk below the surface of the water and was not seen again.”
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Boats from the Houma Police Department, Terrebonne Parish Sherriff’s Office and Coast Guard responded and found Mackles’ body about 11 p.m., authorities said.
The waterway is about 12 feet deep.
“The Houma Police Department would like to remind everyone of the dangers associated with swimming in the Intracoastal Waterway as the currents are often too strong for a person to overcome,” the agency said.
This article originally appeared on The Courier: Woman drowns trying to swim across Intracoastal near Houma twin spans