Search for missing fisherman will be weather-dependent Thursday

RCMP say the extent of the search Thursday for missing fisherman Jordan Hicken will depend on the weather.

Hicken, 22, from Montague, went overboard while fishing off Naufrage early Tuesday morning on his father's boatthe Plum Crazy, RCMP said.

Poor conditions limited Wednesday's searchto the shorelines.Weatherimproved later in the day and hadraised hopes of getting back on the water Thursday butRCMPsaythatdecision willbe made once conditions are known.

An RCMP boat from New Brunswick along with a dive teamwill prepare at NaufrageHarbourso they are ready, if and when they are given the go-ahead to begin searching Thursday.

P.E.I. Ground Search and Rescue has also been called to help with the search.

Several fisherman have said they don't plan to head onto the waters.

The first day of the searchwas called off at about 8 p.m. Tuesday.RCMPhave taken over the search as a missing person case.

"This has touched the community as a whole, the fishermen, the family, the whole entire P.E.I., people just want to help," said Sgt. Chris Gunn.

On Wednesday fire crews searchedalong several kilometres of the North Shore from Greenwich to Naufrage on an all-terrain vehicle and some local people were helping search on foot.

St. Peters fire Chief Craig Campbell said it was too rough for anyone to be out on the water Wednesday, and said hehoped Hicken would be found so the family couldget closure.

RCMP asked anyone helping in thesearch to be very cautious for their own safety and saidthe same for anyone wanting to help search Thursday.

Hicken was an experienced fisherman, and had worked both in P.E.I. and Nova Scotia.

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