Search underway for missing fishermen
Scallop boat Chief William Saulis and its six crew members lost in Bay of Fundy
DIGBY NECK — Searchers combed the Bay of Fundy by air and sea Tuesday after the scallop boat Chief Wiliam Saulis and its six crew members went missing in rough seas early Tuesday morning.
The search is being led by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre.
The centre is leading the search for the vessel that appears to have sunk in rough seas on the Bay of Fundy off Annapolis and Digby counties.
Lt.-Cmdr. Brian Owens said rescuers headed to the area at 5:50 a.m. after receiving an indication from an emergency position-indicating radio beacon that there was an issue. Known as an EPIRB, the beacon activates when it comes in contact with salt water.
That search started off Delaps Cove in Annapolis County.
A Cormorant helicopter and CH-130 Hercules aircraft from 14 Wing Greenwood were in the air and the Canadian Coast Guard ships Courtney Bay and M. Perley were on the water.
“The aircraft have spotted debris on the water, and we had confirmation that two life-rafts had washed ashore,” Owens said. “Upon investigation there was no one on board these rafts.”
He said the debris was spotted off Digby Neck, which is not far from Delaps Cove.
Owens didn't have details on the type of debris.
“The Cormorant just reported that they had found some debris and were continuing their search.”
It took some time to confirm the number of people on board. The centre didn't release the name of the boat until it had done so.
“We want to make sure once we have (the number of people on board) that we contact the next-of-kin to make sure they're aware where we are in the search operation and they're fully aware before we go public with the information," Owens said earlier in the day.
Owens said the search would go on into evening.
“Our objective is to continue searching as long as we can, with the hopes that we can find somebody,” he said. “You can never tell how long somebody is going to survive in the water, depending on how we find them and in what condition. We've seen some amazing things in the past, so we just keep on searching.”
DIFFICULT CONDITIONS
Owens said the sea conditions were difficult in the morning.
“There certainly is some weather going through the area. It's not affecting our larger ships,” he said.
The weather caused trouble for some smaller local fishing boats that had wanted to help with the search, Owens said.
“I know initially they tried, but it was too challenging and too difficult for them and would put them at risk.”
Owens said RCMP and ground search and rescue personnel were assisting along the shoreline.
RCMP Sgt. Andrew Joyce said the force was contacted Tuesday just before 8 a.m. about two life-rafts that were near the shore, washing in and out on the tide near Hillsburn, Annapolis County. They contacted the rescue centre, which said it was already searching for a vessel in the area.
“We're in an assistance role only at this time,” Joyce said.
Jacob Jacquard heard some names of those believed to be on board, but that list was more than six names so he didn't know for sure who was working. He said the RCMP in the area were going to homes to confirm with families whether their loved ones were on the boat.
“Some of the names I heard, I knew most of them,” he said from his home in Yarmouth. He said most were from the local area.
The names he had heard are of people who have been scallop fishing for most of their lives.
“They were all the best of men,” he said. “I've known most of them my whole life. I've fished with all of them.”
He said the boat was owned by Yarmouth Sea Products, but sailed out of Digby.
“As far as I know they were way up the bay fishing and were heading home because of weather,” Jacquard said. He believed the boat had been out for a while and had its catch on board.
He said he has heard that the waves were between two and three metres when the 50-foot boat was making its way back to port.
“That's quite rough,” he said.
“I was told it was blowing pretty good.”
Jacquard fished on the Chief William Saulis all of last year.
“It's hitting close to home, because less than a month ago I was asked to go with the guys, and had I taken the job I would have been aboard with them.”
He was already committed to a lobster boat, though, so didn't take the job.
He said the captain “has run boats his whole life. He knows the water, he knows the boats. He's fished for a long time.”