JACKSON — July 4th weekend is here and if you choose to celebrate Independence Day out on the lake drink responsibly. According to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, the department will take part in Operation Dry Water with the goal of removing impaired operators from the water and raising awareness.

Dry Water is a national boating under the influence awareness and enforcement campaign. MDWFP will increase boating enforcement efforts by utilizing all available Conservation Officers to patrol Mississippi’s waterways and conduct safety checkpoints.

Those who will go to Louisiana to celebrate the Fourth of July should also be aware of enforcement efforts in Louisiana. According to the LDWF, penalties for DWI on the water bring a $300 to $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail.

Safety First

Last weekend, a fatal boating incident in Livingston Parish, Louisiana killed three men. Louisiana’s Department of Wildlife and Fisheries are investigating the crash. According to a press release from the LDWF, the department was notified around 4 p.m. about three missing boaters at the mouth of Blind River near Lake Maurepas.

Monday morning, search and rescue personnel recovered the body of Michael Bryant, 48, of Denham Springs. Later that evening they located the bodies of Zachary LeDeuf, 18, of Greenwell Springs and Zane Bryant, 20, of Denham Springs.

All three men were passengers on a pontoon boat when LeDeuf went swimming and became distressed, Zane went in to save him but also found himself in distress and Michael tried to rescue them but was unsuccessful. All three men were not wearing personal floatation devices.