‘It opens fresh wounds for those of us that have experienced loss at sea’
Two fishermen have died after their vessel sank off the northern coast of Newfoundland, in an incident that is drawing renewed attention to the occupational hazards facing Canada's commercial fishing sector.
According to a report by The Canadian Press, the men were found dead on Tuesday following the sinking of a boat near Brent's Cove, N.L., a small community of roughly 130 people located on the northeast tip of the Baie Verte peninsula.
Craig Macartney, a spokesperson for the federal Department of National Defence, said the Canadian Coast Guard received a call on Tuesday afternoon reporting a sunken vessel and three people missing, according to the report.
A search operation was launched, and a local vessel located two people in the water, one of whom had already died. A Cormorant search-and-rescue helicopter subsequently located a third person dead on the shoreline, according to Macartney's account as relayed by the wire service.
Provincial and community response
Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Tony Wakeham addressed the deaths in a press release issued Wednesday, stating that tragedies at sea resonate across the province given how closely many communities remain tied to the fishing industry.
Lin Paddock, the member of the House of Assembly representing the Baie Verte region, also responded publicly. Writing on Facebook Wednesday, Paddock said the deaths serve as "a sad reminder of how dangerous their industry can be." Paddock added: "It opens fresh wounds for those of us that have experienced loss at sea. Thinking of all the families now as they deal with the repercussions of a regular fishing day, where one of their own did not come home."
Paddock gave a fuller interview to CBC Radio's Newfoundland Morning, saying: "The sea gives, but it takes. And when it takes, it hurts very, very deeply."
He added that Harbour Round is a very close-knit community, with a population of around 150, and that the tragedy hurts deeply — a day at sea that was supposed to be a regular day for their families ended with two of their men not coming home. He also called for the province to embrace the Harbour Round and Brent's Cove area during this difficult time.
