Community, rescue crews, continue search for missing fishermen

With the weather improving, more vessels have joined in the search for two fishermen whose boat capsized near Tignish, P.E.I., late Tuesday afternoon.

The distress call went out at about 5:30 p.m. The Kyla Anne, a 40-foot fishing vessel with three people on board, had capsized. One person had made it to shore to call for help but two were still in the water.

The Canadian Coast Guard Ship Teleost, a Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Cormorant helicopter and CAF Hercules airplane began searching the area, and continued the search throughout the night.

"Additional vessels in the area tried to assist initially, however very poor ongoing weather conditions prevented them from joining the search yesterday evening and last night," Maj. Mark Gough, senior public affairs officer with Maritime Forces Atlantic in Halifax, wrote in an email to CBC News.

"The weather conditions in the area improved so additional vessels were able to join the search efforts."

A Canadian Coast Guard auxiliary ship, two DFO rescue boats and a Provincial Airlines surveillance plane are also part of the search.

Captain seen clinging to fish tub

The two missing men are Maurice (Moe) Getson, and the boat's captain, Glen DesRoches.

DesRoches' son, Sheldon DesRoches, said he was told his father was last seen holding onto a fish tub about three kilometres off shore.

DesRoches said the reality of the situation has not hit him yet, but he is not holding out a lot of hope for his father's survival.

"I don't know. My father has a bad heart problem," he said.

"Hopefully they'll find their bodies at least."

DesRoches said it was good to see so many in the community coming out to help.

While rescue efforts are underway on the water, members of the Tignish Fire Department, local RCMP, Ground Search and Rescue and members of the community have been searching along the shore.

In a news release Wednesday morning, the P.E.I. Fishermen's Association sent out its thoughts and prayers to the families involved.

The Transportation Safety Board has dispatched a team of investigators.

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