Donald Tabb, Founding Pastor of The Chapel on Campus, Feared Dead After Boating Accident
More than 24 hours since his boat capsized in the Gulf of Mexico near the mouth of the Mississippi River Wednesday morning, Rev. Donald Tabb, the 85-year-old founding pastor of The Chapel on Campus, is still missing and feared dead.
"Dear Chapel family. We want to ask for your prayers tonight as we are walking through a very difficult day. Early this morning, Rev. Donald Tabb, our beloved founding Pastor, and his friends Jack Frey and Pat Anderson were in a fishing accident near Venice, LA," Tabb's church, which is at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, announced in a statement on Facebook Wednesday. "Jack Frey has passed away, meeting his Heavenly Father, and Pat Anderson has survived the accident. Donald Tabb is missing with the search still underway by the Coast Guard."
Wildlife and Fisheries agents and the U.S. Coast Guard suspended their search for Tabb Wednesday night and resumed again Thursday morning. But Adam Einck, spokesman for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, told NOLA.com that they were worried that Tabb may have been swept out to sea because of the location of where his boat capsized near the river's mouth.
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Tabb and his two friends, Frey, 86, and Anderson, 61, were out fishing on his 27-foot blue aluminum boat when it capsized after a big wave hit the boat about 7 a.m. near South Pass, according to The Advocate. He disappeared in the water near Port Eads in Plaquemines Parish shortly after the boat started to sink.
"A large wave capsized Donald's boat and the three men were thrown into the water. Donald was able to direct Pat to locate Jack, which he did. Pat then swam to shore with Jack and tried to revive him. Being unable to do so Pat turned his attention back to the capsized boat and was no longer able to see Donald," the church explained in their statement. "By the time the Coast Guard arrived at the scene of the accident, the boat had sunk."
The church further asked for prayers for the families of their founding pastor and his friends.
"These men's wives and families are scheduling flights and trips home, some from as far away as London. Please keep these precious families in your prayers over the next several days and weeks, as we wait for news on Donald, as the Frey family grieves, and as the Anderson family heals," the statement ended.
Greg Meriwether, a news anchor at WAFB, said in a statement on Thursday that even though Tabb is still "missing" he is confident he is in a better place.
"Friends my faith teaches me that everyday you should try to gain ground for the kingdom of God... one of the best examples of that is Donald Tabb... He married us and was always a great example to my wife growing up. He helped found the Chapel at LSU and what would become the Dunham School- no telling how many lives he touched. After a boating accident he's technically still 'missing' but either way I know EXACTLY where he is... and that's very comforting. Bless him," Meriwether said.
