Search resumes for missing fishermen in Bay of Fundy

Police say the search for five missing fishermen from the Chief William Saulis fishing vessel in the Bay of Fundy will resume from the air on Friday morning.

Nova Scotia RCMP said in a news release that they are partnering with theDepartment of Lands and Forestry to searchby helicopter.

The ground search is still suspended due to safety concerns, after a snowstorm that hit the province on Thursday.

Police say they will reassess conditions on Saturday.

The Chief WilliamSauliswent missing early on Tuesday morning after sending out an emergency beacon.On Wednesday, the Transportation Safety Board confirmedthat it sank.

Thesix men on board the boatwere Charles Roberts, the captain of the vessel, Aaron Cogswell, Leonard Gabriel, Dan Forbes, Michael Drake andEugeneFrancis.

One body was discovered on Tuesday night, but has not been publicly identified.

Families, friends and community members have been anxiously awaiting news about the vessel throughout the week.

Friend remembers 'smart captain' from Chief William Saulis

4 years ago

Duration 0:59

Kim Emino says Charles Roberts, known by the nickname Hot Dog around the wharf, was a smart captain and always there when you needed him.

TheMaritime Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre (JRCC) said late Wednesday afternoon that it was suspending the search.

Lt.-Cmdr. Brian Owens,with the JRCC, said environmental factors, the temperature of the water, the current and that the fisherman who was found was not wearing a floatation device were all included in the decision to suspend the search.

Other fishermen and friends of the crew suspect most of the men on board would have been asleep in their bunks when they ran into trouble on Thursday morning.

The RCMP then took over the investigation as a missing persons case, saying they now believe this to be a recovery operation.

Earlier this week, police said the ground search would be conducted during daylight hours when it is safe to do so, spanninga 55-kilometrestretch of coast between Delaps Cove and Margaretsville.

The Transportation Safety Board has also sent in a team to investigate the cause of the incident.

Regional investigator Shannon Pittman said previously that while they have already looked at some of the debris found, they have been unable to connect most of it to the vessel.

"We will continue to see whatever is recovered," Pittman told Radio-Canada on Thursday, adding that they wish to speak to anyone who may have information about what happened.