(UPDATE)
As the search for the four missing fishermen on Great Slave Lake continues, RCMP have now released the names of the men who were onboard.
They are: Stacy Linington, 59, from Hay River, believed to be the captain of the boat, Daniel Courtoreille, 51, Michael Courtoreille, 50, and Jason Fulton, 40, all from the Lesser Slave Lake area in Alberta.
Police said Wednesday that with another full day of search efforts yielding no results, RCMP are releasing the names of the four fishermen, in hopes that information from the community may assist in the search.
The group left the commercial fishing dock in Hay River early on Sunday, September 29th, to travel to Sulphur Point, on the south shore of Great Slave Lake, about 60 kilometres east of Hay River, to check fishing nets.
The group was scheduled to be back before night time that same day.
When they were reported ovedue on Monday, RCMP initiated a search and rescue operation.
On Tuesday, the search team discovered the partially submerged vessel used by the fishermen in the area of Windy Bay, on the west side of the lake, south of the North Arm.
The search continued on Wednesday with the RCMP partnering with the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Canadian Coast Guard and Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Their vessels are being used to conduct grid searches between the south shore of the lake and Windy Bay area.
A Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicle (ROV) was deployed to examine the partially submerged fishing vessel used by the missing fishermen.
CKLB has asked why searchers have decided to deploy the device rather than retrieve the boat.
“The Coast Guard and Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and RCMP are all engaged in a “water-based search” to find the fishermen, including a grid search between the south shore of Great Slave Lake and Windy Bay area, where the boat was found,” stated Julie Plourde, media relations officer for the RCMP. “As part of the investigation, a ROV is being used to observe the vessel without disturbing the scene. It helps our team to preserve any evidence they could see and collect prior to relocating the vessel.”
According to a news release the Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicle is equipped with sensors to gather various types of data, along with lights and a video camera.
Both Sunday and Monday were very windy on the lake and that may be why the boat was found so far off course.
Police say the search and investigation as to what actually happened to the men and the boat is ongoing and they say they will have more information as it becomes available.
Friends, family and everyone are holding out hope for a miracle and that the men will be found alive.
If they are not, they would be the latest in at least eight accidental deaths on Great Slave Lake in 2019 – three snowmobilers last spring, a kayaker this summer and the four fishermen.
(with files from John McFadden)
