Official air and water search ends for missing fishermen

The search for two missing fishermen near Tignish, P.E.I., has been significantly reduced.

TheJoint Rescue Coordination Centre called off its air and water search Wednesday evening andhanded the caseover to theRCMPto treat as a missing persons file.

"Unfortunately, no sign of the two fishermenwas found and given that the search had gone on for approximately three times the survivability period for two people in the water without floatation devices, the difficult decision was made to end the search,"saidMaj.MarkGough, senior public affairs officer with Maritime Forces Atlantic in Halifax, in an email.

In a followup interview, Gough said there's a number of factors that go into the decision to call off a search.

"The biggest factor that we consideramongstall of them is to extend the search for as long as possible to enable the best possible chances for survival for the people that are missing," he said.

A boat capsized off of the shores of North Cape around 2:30 p.m.Tuesday. One fisherman was able to swim to shore, and rescue teams and volunteers searched land and sea for more than a day for signs of the two missing men.

"While there are often similarities between different searches that we take part in the course of the year, no two searches are exactly alike,"Goughsaid.

"The only thing that does remain the sameamongstall of them, is that it's always a difficult decision to call off a search."

RCMPcontinue ground search

Cpl. Mike Lutley of Prince District RCMP, said RCMPalong with P.E.I. Ground Search and Rescue will continue the search on land.

"We are continuing to use other assets to assist in searching," he said Wednesday night.

"Ground Search and Rescue are continuing to comb the shorelines around the area, they have a couple people on tonight, overnight, and they're going to continue into the daytime tomorrow."

Lutleysaid the situation will be re-evaluated Thursday and a decision will made about continuing the search then.

"We're hoping for any signs of anything," he said.

"Signs of debris, or anything that may give us any type of clue as to where we may find anything else or any other areas we may look at being able to search."

1,200 square nautical miles searched

Gough said the decision to end the coordinated search was made at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. The search, which began Tuesday, covered approximately 1,200 square nautical miles.

He said the search area was expanded repeatedly throughout the operation "based upon wind direction, wave action, currents, undertow, all those environmental factors."

Four vessels and three aircraft were involved with the search. The local fire department, RCMP, ground search and rescue, and community volunteers also searched along the shorelines.

The two missing men are Glen DesRoches, and Maurice (Moe) Getson. Gough said their families have been notified of the decision to end the search.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this very difficult time."

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