Body of tugboat worker sent for autopsy

Published 12:37 pm Monday, January 4, 2021

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NATCHEZ — The body of a crew member who died aboard a tugboat on the Mississippi River south of Natchez on Saturday has been sent for an autopsy, officials said.

William Russell Hollingsworth, 58, of Glen Carbon, Illinois, was discovered Saturday in a bunk on the boat, said Lt. Cal Green of the Adams County Sheriff’s Office.

“A person found him unresponsive on a tugboat,” Green said. “Dispatch received a call from the tugboat about an unresponsive person south of Natchez. We got in touch with the Coast Guard and fish and wildlife gave the deputy a ride to the tugboat.

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The tugboat captain told officials Hollingsworth had medical issues and was on multiple medications, Green said.

“I’m uncertain of the cause of death so his body will have an autopsy before transporting back to Illinois,” said James Lee, Adams County coroner.