Search for missing fisherman underway off coast of Nova Scotia after crew abandons vessel

A search is underway Sunday, by air and on the water, for a missing fisher who fell off a life raft during a transfer onto a Canadian Coast Guard vessel. 

A search is underway Sunday, by air and on the water, for a missing fisher who fell off a life raft during a transfer onto a Canadian Coast Guard vessel.

In a series of tweets, the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) in Halifax said the search is taking place 90 nautical miles southeast of Canso, N.S.

It listed several aircraft and two Coast Guard ships taking part in the search Sunday morning on the province’s eastern shore.

The operation began just after midnight on Saturday when JRCC received a request for a tow from the fishing vessel Mucktown Girl, which had experienced mechanical issues.

“The FV was taken under tow and started towards to Mulgrave, N.S.,” JRCC stated.

At 5:43 p.m. that day, there was a “failure in the tow arrangement” and the fishing vessel “went adrift overnight with the CCGS Jean Goodwill in escort.”

Some 12 hours later, at 6:11 a.m. Sunday, the Mucktown Girl reported taking on water, and the crew abandoned the vessel into a life raft.

“(Four) fishers were recovered by CCGS Jean Goodwill, unfortunately, (one) fisher fell out of the life raft during this transfer and is now missing,” JRCC stated.