Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) again offer their deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the crewmembers of L'Acadien II who were involved in the incident that occurred in the Gulf of St. Lawrence over March 28 and 29.
Since April 3 we have been working to find and bring home Mr. Carl Aucoin, the missing crew member from L'Acadien II, and the vessel itself.
As of today, 2,800 square nautical mile search area has been covered more than three times, with the resources having covered an area of approximately 9,800 square nautical miles.
Despite our exhaustive search, we have been unsuccessful in locating the missing crew member or the vessel. As a result, CCG will be discontinuing recovery efforts at this time. The survivors and families of those involved in the incident have been notified of this decision.
Mariners in the area are reminded to notify the nearest CCG station if they see anything that may be related to this incident.
Participating in the week long search were:
- the CCGS Edward Cornwallis and the CCGS George R. Pearkes, light ice breakers, along with the CCGS Terry Fox, a heavy ice breaker;
- a Transport Canada plane and a Canadian Forces Aurora long-range patrol aircraft, when visibility permitted;
- CCG helicopters which patrolled the area and conducted surveillance along local shoreline areas, and
- Canadian Forces divers who remained on stand-by to assist as required.
All recovery efforts were based on the last known coordinates of the vessel, drift patterns and ice conditions.
Retired Rear Admiral Roger Girouard is leading a CCG investigation into CCG policies and practices and will make recommendations to prevent similar incidents in the future. A final report will be presented to the Minister and the Commissioner of the Coast Guard in the fall.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are also conducting investigations into this incident. Coast Guard will provide its assistance and any information requested as they move forward.
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