ELSIPOGTOG FIRST NATION, N.B. -- A New Brunswick First Nation is grieving after a fisher died and one went missing when their boat capsized off the coast of Cape Breton over the weekend.
Coun. Ruth Levi of the Elsipogtog First Nation said Monday that Seth Monahan, a 39-year-old deckhand aboard the FV Tyhawk, has died and captain Craig Sock, 49, is still missing.
The three other crew members are recovering after the FV Tyhawk sunk off Cheticamp, N.S., on Saturday, the First Nation said in a statement Monday. Deckhands Tristan Joseph, 26, Justus Augustine, 26, and Chase Paul, 22, survived after they were pulled from the water.
Sock is a member of the Elsipogtog band council and played a major role in the development of the community, located about 90 kilometres north of Moncton, N.B., Levi said in an interview.
Monahan, she said, was originally from Metepenagiag Mi'kmaq Nation and lived with his family in Elsipogtog for several years.
"The mood in the community is sombre," Levi said. "It's very sad; it's a tragedy."
The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre suspended its search indefinitely for Sock on Sunday night. Lt.-Cmdr. Brian Owens, spokesman for the search and rescue agency, said the operation was suspended after authorities considered the chances of survival on the water unlikely.
Levi said the community held a candlelight vigil for the men Sunday night.
The First Nation said it will be offering mental health services to community members.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 5, 2021.
This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
