Coast police ID man who drowned after losing control of boat, trying to swim after it

Update: The drowning victim was identified as Grady “Buck” Williams, 54, of Moss Point.

On March 2, his body was located by the Department of Marine Resources in Yazoo Bayou.

The incident has been ruled an accidental drowning.

Original: A man drowned Sunday afternoon while trying to swim after his boat near The Point Pier, Pascagoula police said in a press release.

The Department of Marine Resources’ Marine Patrol Division found an unmanned fishing boat around 3 p.m. in Yazoo Bayou.

Patrol officers pulled the boat to shore, where they found the owner’s truck, which as unlocked. They also found a cellphone and personal items inside.

After reviewing “video footage,” police said, the owner launched his boat but lost control and it floated away from him. He placed his personal items in his truck, and tried to swim after the boat.

Video showed the man going underwater but not resurfacing, police said.

“Investigators determined this to be an accidental drowning,” the release said.

As of about 8 p.m. Sunday, a dive team was on the scene trying to locate the body.

This story will update as more information is available.

This story was originally published February 28, 2021 at 8:38 PM.