First Nations community continues search for three missing fishermen

A B.C. First Nations community is not giving up hope on finding three men whose boat capsized off Duffin Cove in Tofino more than a week ago.

Tla-o-qui-aht fishermen Marcel Martin, Carl Martin Jr. and Terrance Brown Jr. have not been seen since their open six-metre boat sank without a mayday call in the early morning of June 15.

Two others on the boat have been found.

While the official search by the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre has been scaled back, the community refuses to give up.

“We don’t want to label” whether the search is a rescue or recovery effort, said Lorena Frank, whose husband Robert Martin is an uncle to Marcel and Carl.

“We’re doing the best we can with the boats we have. There have been searchers out every day, right from the beginning.”

The search is a community effort in Opitsaht, north of Tofino, in the southwest tip of Meares Island.

Using fishing boats and motor boats, searchers ply the waters every day. Other volunteers aid with the search efforts by providing meals at the dock.

A candlelight vigil was held at the dock Thursday night, with prayers for the men’s safe return.

The family is “managing,” and is requesting privacy, Frank said.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money for the men’s families.

“Their children are not only missing the love and guidance of their (dads), but their main providers as well,” said organizer Carla Moss on the fundraising page. “We hope to provide that security to allow the focus to be on the healing and reduce some (of) the stress during this adjustment period.”

The fundraising effort will be a huge help because in addition to being breadwinners, the men are also self-employed and have young children, said Frank.

Marcel Martin is father to three children, while Carl Martin Jr. and Brown have one child each.

The campaign has raised more than $16,000 by Saturday.

The funds would be divided equally between the three families. People can also donate directly to the families at CIBC branches under the families’ names.

Marcel Martin was honoured by the Lifesaving Society for his bravery in helping rescue passengers of the Leviathan II, a whale-watching vessel that sank off Tofino in 2015, killing six.

Marcel and relatives were halibut fishing when they heard of the disaster over the radio and rushed to help, pulling three people out of the water.