A search is ongoing in the waters off the coast of Cape Breton for one of five people from the FV Tyhawk fishing vessel, a spokesperson for the Join Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax said on Saturday.
The JRCC got a call from the vessel at 5:46 p.m. AT to say it was sinking, JRCC public affairs officer Lt.-Cmdr. Brian Owens told CBC News. That call was cut short, Owens said.
A CH149 Cormorant helicopter and a CH130 Hercules aircraft, along with two Coast Guard ships, were sent to search for the missing vessel — which was believed to be about 30 kilometres west of Chéticamp, N.S., according to Owens.
Owens said a local vessel was in the area and found four of the people who had been on boat holding onto the hull of the capsized vessel. They were picked up and taken to hospital, but Owens couldn’t comment on their condition.
At 1746 ADT, JRCC Hfx received a call from the FV Tyhawk, 16 NM west of Chéticamp, NS, indicating they were sinking. There were 5 persons onboard. During the call, JRCC lost the signal with the vessel.
—@hfxjrcc
The search for the remaining crew member will continue through the night, he added.
“As long as it takes to make sure we can find this last person,” Owens said.
Fishing boat from Elsipogtog, band councillor says
Owens couldn’t say what kind of fishing boat the FV Tyhawk is or where it’s from, but a band councillor from the Elsipogtog First Nation in New Brunswick said the boat is one of theirs.
Ruth Levi said the boat and its crew left waters near the community early on Saturday to fish snow crab off Chéticamp. The season opened in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Levi said the goal of the band council right now is to make sure everyone has access to the mental health services they may need.
“The whole community is in still in shock right now, in disbelief,” Levi said.
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