Mark Gould, deputy superintendent search and rescue, takes questions from the media regarding the sinking of a fishing vessel off the coast of Fleur de Lys, N.L., at the Canadian Coast Guard Regional Headquarters in St. John's on Sept. 13.Paul Daly/The Canadian Press
The Canadian Coast Guard announced Thursday it had ended its search for a Newfoundland man who went missing after a cod fishing boat sank Tuesday off the island’s northeast coast.
The search for the man is now a recovery mission, and the RCMP will take over, the coast guard said in a news release, adding that it decided Wednesday evening to call off the search.
“Such decisions are not taken lightly,” the release said. “Our condolences to the families and everyone involved in this tragedy.”
The small vessel with four men aboard sank roughly 1.6 kilometres from the harbour in Fleur de Lys, N.L., about 375 kilometres northwest of St. John’s, police have said. The bodies of two men were recovered, and one man was rescued from the shore by a local fishing crew.
Coast Guard ships, Canadian Armed Forces aircraft, local fishing boats, and ground search and rescue teams had been scouring the sea and shorelines around Fleur de Lys since Tuesday.
The coast guard vessel Earl Grey will stay at the scene to help the Mounties as they take over responsibility for the case, the coast guard said, adding that an RCMP dive team will also remain at the site.