Four Lives Lost with Sinking of Fishing Vessel Sarah Anne
The community of St. Lawrence, Newfoundland has seen its share of tragedy down through the years.
Residents of the close-knit Burin Peninsula town witnessed firsthand the tragic aftermath of the deadly tsunami of 1929. Then there was the loss of more than 200 American sailors when the USS Truxtun and USS Pollux went aground off St. Lawrence in February 1942. And spanning several generations are the hundreds of local miners that have died after years of exposure to silica dust and radon gas while working in the St. Lawrence fluorspar mine.
Now, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, St. Lawrence is reeling once again after the loss of four of its inshore fishermen.
Early on May 25, the crew of the 34-foot fishing vessel Sarah Anne, left St. Lawrence to haul crab pots in the waters of Placentia Bay.
There was no communication from the vessel that day and when it did not return later that evening, a search was organized by several other fishermen from the community, as well as the Canadian Coast Guard. A Hercules search and rescue aircraft from Halifax was also involved in the search.
The following day, Coast Guard officials reported that there was no sign of the fishing boat, but the bodies of three of the four crew members had been recovered. The bodies of Edward Norman, 67, his son, Scott Norman, 35 and his nephew, Jody Norman, 42, were recovered on May 26.
The body of the fourth crew member, 33-year-old Isaac Kettle, was not recovered at the time.
The Canadian Coast Guard ended its search for Kettle shortly after on May 27.
The investigation was turned over to the RCMP as a missing persons case, but police said they would not be continuing the search because of the extensive nature of the Coast Guard’s operation — which spanned 650 nautical miles off the coast of the Burin Peninsula.
However, Kettle’s mother, Aundriette Kettle, made public pleas for search efforts to continue.
A few days later, a private search for Kettle resumed. It involved the supply vessel Paul A. Sacuta, tugboat Keewatin and sonar equipment supplied by marine surveying company Fugro GeoSurveys.
An online petition was even started in an attempt to keep the search for Kettle going. More than 31,000 people signed a petition to bring missing Newfoundland man Isaac Kettle home (change.org/IsaacKettle).
With the search ongoing off the waters of St. Lawrence, on June 6, RCMP reported that a body was recovered from a beach in Doughboy Cove, near Arnold’s Cove, miles to the north, at the head of Placentia Bay.
In a release, police said they were notified that lobster fishermen had found a body in the area of Doughboy Cove, east across the water from Arnold’s Cove.
Clarenville RCMP and Forensic Identification Services travelled to the beach and secured the body and had it sent to St. John’s for examination after consulting with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
On June 8, police confirmed the recovered body was that of Isaac Kettle, the missing crew member of the Sarah Anne.
The Federal Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard was one of many sending her condolences to the loved ones of the four fishermen from St. Lawrence, following the tragic incident.
Bernadette Jordan said fishing is more than just a job, that it is a way of life. She said it is an unpredictable life and that’s why the men and women of the fishing industry are so resilient.
She said she is not surprised by the outpouring of support from St. Lawrence during this time.
Jordan says it has been a difficult year for all Canadians, adding that “we will face these challenges head-on and come together to support one another during this time.”
Provincial Fisheries Minister Byrne also offered his condolences to the families of the fishermen from the fishing vessel Sarah Anne.
“This latest tragedy in the fishery’s storied history is a stark reminder that the men and women who engage in a life on the water, in support of their families and communities, do so by putting their lives at risk. Their work requires courage and resolve every time they leave the safety of the harbour and embark to make a difficult living from an unforgiving sea. In this most trying of times, the entire province is watching the profound suffering of a community and its families struggling with the sudden loss of loved ones. St. Lawrence is regarded for its ability to rebound from adversity and I am confident the residents of this tight-knit community will rally to support the impacted families and each other. Rest assured our thoughts and prayers are with you as you embark to recover from this senseless tragedy.”
The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) recently announced that it has launched a class three investigation into the loss of the Sarah Anne.
A class three investigation means a report will be published on the findings at the end of the process, which could take more than a year.
“A class three occurrence may have significant consequences that attract a high level of public interest. It may involve multiple fatalities and/or serious injuries. There may be a medium-sized release of dangerous goods. There is moderate to significant damage to property and/or the environment. There are public expectations that the TSB will investigate. It is quite likely that new safety lessons will be identified and that transportation safety will be advanced by reducing risks to persons, property or the environment. A detailed investigation is required.”
