Missing fisherman found off Nova Scotia coast, condition unknown

Fishing vessel was being towed by the coast guard when the tow line broke

CBC News 

A fisherman who went missing in the waters off Canso, N.S., has been found.

The crew member had fallen off a life raft Sunday morning as a crew of five was being transferred to a coast guard vessel.

The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre said on Twitter just after 2 p.m. AT that a search and rescue crew aboard a Cormorant helicopter found the missing fisherman and transported him to Sydney, N.S., for medical care.

“The condition of the fisher is not being disclosed at this time,” the tweet said.

The fisherman was in the frigid waters for close to five hours, said a Department of Fisheries and Oceans spokesperson.

Crew members from the Mucktown Girl vessel were all wearing immersion suits, the centre said in an earlier tweet.

The Canadian Coast Guard said the Mucktown Girl is a 15-metre longliner and the crew was all male.

The boat had mechanical issues early Saturday and requested a tow. At the time, Mucktown Girl was 166 kilometres southeast of Canso, located in the northeastern tip of Nova Scotia’s mainland.

CCGS Jean Goodwill provided the tow and the two vessels headed toward Mulgrave, N.S.

Timeline of events

At 5:43 p.m. AT Saturday, something went wrong and the Mucktown Girl went adrift.

At 6:11 a.m. Sunday, Mucktown Girl reported it was taking on water, so the crew abandoned ship and went into a life raft.

It’s unclear at what time the transfer was attempted with the coast guard vessel.