RCMP investigating death of man who went overboard outside St. John's harbour

The RCMP are investigating the death of a man who went overboard outside St. John's harbour from a pilot boat early Tuesday morning.

According to a media release from the RCMP on Tuesday afternoon, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary received a report of a man overboard around 12:30 a.m. NT.

The RCMP, which has jurisdiction in Canadian territorial waters, has taken over the investigation and is working with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, Occupational Health and Safety and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

The RCMP released few details Tuesday afternoon, apart from noting the man was 61 years old.

A press release from a Canadian Coast Guard spokesperson said theMaritime Search and Rescue Sub-centre in St. John's sent a coast guardrescue craft and other vessels in the area to the scene, around 3 kilometres outside the Narrows,and arranged an ambulance.

According to the coast guard, the MV Virginia Ann recovered the man from the water and took himto emergency medical services on shore.

A statement Tuesday afternoon from Canship Ugland, aCanadian ship management company based in Paradise, N.L., said the man was a crew member on one of their boats.

The statement said their boat had finished transferring the pilot to the incoming vessel when the man went into the water. The man was dead when he was pulled from the water.

Canship Ugland president Marco Ahrens said in the statement the company is focused on ensuring the man's family has the support they need.

"We will investigate what happened in co-operation with the authorities. At this time, we will continue to support ouremployees and the affected family members," saidAhrens in the statement.

The statement says Canship Ugland operates pilot boats for the Atlantic Pilotage Authority in St. John's Harbour.

The authority's CEO, Sean Griffiths, said in the statement that APA is "deeply saddened by the death of a friend and crew member."

"Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones," said Griffiths in statement. "The safety of our people remains our priority. We will do everything we can to support the efforts of the authorities as they investigate this incident and want to ensure this never happens again."

The man's cause of death has not been released.

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