Dragger sinks, captain missing

The fishing vessel was en route to Meteghan.

Major James Simiana, with the Joint Task Force Atlantic public affairs, said earlier this afternoon that three people have been picked up from a life raft and transferred onto the Coast Guard cutter Westport, which is now on its way to Meteghan.

The search was still on for the vessel’s missing captain.

A C-130 Hercules and a Cormorant helicopter out of 14 Wing Greenwood were on the scene. The Coast Guard vessel Edward Cornwallis was also tasked. “The search is still ongoing for the other missing sailor,” Simiana said.

He said the incident involving the Pubnico Explorer had occurred a couple of hours earlier this morning.

The boat’s main pump had failed but an electric sump pump onboard was still working. “So they thought that they would be able to manage the situation. However, for whatever reason, the ship was taking on water and I guess they weren’t able to keep ahead of it, but I don’t know how she actually started to take on water,” Simiana said.

Siminana said he didn’t know if there were other fishing vessels in the area providing assistance in the search.

Many lobster fishermen did not go fishing today due to weather and sea conditions.