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Search for missing fisherman will be weather-dependant Thursday

RCMP say the extent of the search Thursday for missing fisherman Jordan Hicken will depend on the weather.

Hicken, 22, from Montague, went overboard while fishing off Naufrage early Tuesday morning on his father's boat the Plum Crazy, RCMP said.

Poor conditions limited Wednesday's search to the shorelines. Weather improved later in the day and had raised hopes of getting back on the water Thursday but RCMP say that decision will be made once conditions are known.

An RCMP boat from New Brunswick along with a dive team will prepare at Naufrage Harbour so they are ready, if and when they are given the go-ahead to begin searching Thursday.

Brain Higgins/CBC
Brain Higgins/CBC

P.E.I. Ground Search and Rescue has also been called to help with the search.

Several fisherman have said they don't plan to head onto the waters.

Brian Higgins/CBC
Brian Higgins/CBC

The first day of the search was called off at about 8 p.m. Tuesday. RCMP have taken over the search as a missing person case.

"This has touched the community as a whole, the fishermen, the family, the whole entire P.E.I., people just want to help," said Sgt. Chris Gunn.

On Wednesday fire crews searched along several kilometres of the North Shore from Greenwich to Naufrage on an all-terrain vehicle and some local people were helping search on foot.

Brian Higgins/CBC
Brian Higgins/CBC

St. Peters fire Chief Craig Campbell said it was too rough for anyone to be out on the water Wednesday, and said he hoped Hicken would be found so the family could get closure.

RCMP asked anyone helping in the search to be very cautious for their own safety and said the same for anyone wanting to help search Thursday.

Hicken was an experienced fisherman, and had worked both in P.E.I. and Nova Scotia.

Brian Higgins/CBC
Brian Higgins/CBC

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