Nova Scotia's labour department is investigating after a fisherman fell overboard and died on Saturday near Clarks Harbour, N.S.
Jimmy Buchanan, 44, was fishing for lobster on board the Secret Sea -- a 15-metre lobster boat -- when the accident happened. He was only in the water for a few minutes.
“When we pulled him in there was no response, no life in him,” said Audie Harding, skipper of the Secret Sea Vessel. “So we proceeded to try CPR and we tried and we tried and we tried – there was no response.”
Police were called just before 6:00 p.m. The investigation was handed to the Nova Scotia Labour Department almost immediately.
"We will be talking to all the personnel that were on the boat, including the fishermen and vessel's captain,” said Scott Nauss of the labour department. “We'll be taking photos, we'll be gathering video evidence that may be on the vessel, we will seize any relevant evidence and we will be obtaining the medical examiner's report to determine the official cause of death."
Bunchanan was a seasoned fisherman, who's being remembered as a hard-working man with a big heart.
“Everybody called (Buchanan) the Big Jim,” said Harding. “But he was so gentle. They called him like the big gentle giant. His heart was huge. He would do anything for anybody.”
Harding says Buchanan had cleared land to make way for a new boat building plant to help generate local jobs, including positions for both of his sons.
The crew plans on setting up an account to support the family on Monday at the local Scotiabank.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Marie Adsett.
