Shrimper missing for 6 days found safe, used crabs to float to sandbars before finding land

VENICE, La. (WVUE/Gray News) - The United States Coast Guard said a shrimper who disappeared while trying to salvage his vessel has been found alive nearly a week later.

WVUE reports Timothy “Blimp” Cheramie was last seen on Jan. 4 near Venice, Louisiana, before being found this week.

A Jayhawk helicopter crew rescued Cheramie and a second unidentified boater from his shrimp boat after it ran aground.

The Coast Guard said Cheramie was trying to recover his boat when he went missing.

On Monday, Southeastern Louisiana was battered by two rounds of severe weather, including sustained winds of 15-25 mph gusting up to 45-60 mph. The state also saw several inches of rain over 12 hours.

The USCG posted Cheramie’s photo at 1 a.m. on Tuesday and said his boat was found but no one was aboard.

Wednesday afternoon, Cheramie’s daughter Tiffany posted a video of her father after he had been found. The Coast Guard confirmed he had been located and reported safe.

“Your dad has always been a survivor, he’s tough. I just told someone I guarantee you he’s walking threw the marsh,” Robert Carr commented on the video post.

Cheramie reportedly used crab traps to float from sandbar to sandbar before making it back to dry land.

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