On the look out for 'anything' as fishermen carry on search for missing comrades
The official search on the water for two fishermen missing off North Cape, P.E.I., has ended, but boats from the area will be back on the water continuing their own search Thursday.
The Kyla Anne capsized a few kilometres from shore Tuesday afternoon. One crew member made it back to shore, but Glen DesRoches and Maurice (Moe) Getson did not.
The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre called off its search, which involved coast guard vessels and helicopters, Wednesday evening. That search had continued for hours beyond any chance that the men would be found alive.
A search along the shore, coordinated by RCMP, is ongoing.
Searching for closure
At Shirley's Café in nearby Tignish, fishermen up early for a cup of coffee said they heading back on the water to continue a search on their own.
They accept that the men will not be found alive, but they do want to recover the bodies so the families can put them to rest.
"There'll be a lot of lobster boats out today, you know. Like, from probably right from Tignish right up to Howards Cove, and everybody be looking," said fisherman Dennis Gaudet.
"While they're fishing … they'll be looking around. And you know, hopefully they might see something. Even debris," Gaudet said.
His own brother, Lorry Gaudet, died at sea in a similar incident 22 years ago. He says finding his brother's body helped to bring his family closure.
Community members also continue to comb the shorelines around North Cape. They're hoping to find some sign of the Kyla Anne, which will give them a sign of where the currents might have carried the two fishermen, and help to focus the search.
Memories at Shirley's
Everyone at the café Thursday morning had a personal memory of DesRoches and Getson.
Ralph Handrahan says he grew up with Getson, and everyone in town knew him. He describes him as "one of a kind."
"Moe was Moe. There was no other Moe around like Moe. You had to know him in order to really know him. And he was a good guy, he'd give you the shirt right off his back. Little cranky, looked like it. But he wasn't, you know. That was just Moe," Handrahan said.
He also knew DesRoches, and said he was well respected in town.
"Glen is a quiet, easy going guy. Helpful," Handrahan said.
"When you get people like that gone out of the community, it seems like there's a part of it gone with it."
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With files from Steve Bruce
