One dead, three survivors, one missing after fishing boat sinks off N.L.
Sat Sep 12, 10:42 PM
By The Canadian Press
HALIFAX, N.S. - The search continues for a missing crewman after a fishing boat sank off eastern Newfoundland, leaving one man dead and three others in hospital.
RCMP Sgt. Wayne Newell said the three survivors from the vessel Sea Gypsy were in stable condition after being airlifted to St. John's, N.L., on Saturday.
Newell said the body of the dead man was recovered by the coast guard. His name has not been released pending notification of next of kin.
Other details were not immediately available and Newell said the investigation continues into the mishap Saturday morning about 80 kilometres east of St. John's.
Jeri Grychowski of the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Halifax said officials received a mayday at 10:45 a.m. indicating the five people on board were abandoning the vessel.
"We are still searching for the fifth person," she said.
Grychowski said late Saturday night that a Hercules aircraft and several ships, including coast guard vessels, would continue the search overnight.
"Our understanding from the survivors is that the fifth person was in . . . an immersion suit," she said.
"They estimate a 36-hour survival time with the suit on."
Newell said police have no reason to suspect any foul play, but they are obliged to investigate any such sudden deaths.
"We're working with the coast guard and interviewing the witnesses, our major crimes members are at the hospital speaking with the people (survivors) and trying to determine exactly the sequence of events," Newell said in an interview.
"But at this time, there's very little known as to exactly what took place."
Officials were not able to confirm exactly how many of the crew were wearing immersion suits when they abandoned the vessel.
A Cormorant helicopter out of Gander, N.L., and a Hercules aircraft out of Greenwood, N.S., were initially sent to the area.
Grychowski said the Cormorant airlifted the survivors and the body to St. John's.
