A 42-year-old man died as a result of an August 26 fishing-related incident off Westport, on Newfoundland’s Baie Verte Peninsula.
The victim has been identified as Michael Jacobs of Westport. According to town residents, the man was fishing squid in the morning, not far from the shore. Upon his return to the wharf, the speedboat he was in capsized.
The RCMP and Canadian Coast Guard were contacted as local residents participated in an immediate search.
A mayday broadcast was issued while the Canadian Coast Guard ships CCGS Vladykov, CCGS Teleost and CCGS Conception Bay were sent to the scene. A cormorant helicopter from 103 Squadron in Gander was also tasked to respond.
Baie Verte-Green Bay MHA Lin Paddock told the CBC that the man’s boat was loaded down with squid when it swamped just outside the wharf. He said the man didn’t know how to swim.
“And by the time they got to him, he was gone.”
“There will be another day to reinforce the safety side, but right now this is about family and community,” he said.
This was the second accident in a month to claim the life of a harvester on the Baie Verte Peninsula.
On July 21, Canadian Coast Guard officials stated that they received a report of a sunken vessel near Brent’s Cove on the Baie Verte Peninsula, with three people reported missing.
“A vessel of opportunity recovered two people from the water, one survivor and one deceased. The Cormorant helicopter recovered one deceased person from the shoreline,” read a statement from the Coast Guard.
The two victims were Stanley Giles and Michael Peter Seymour of Harbour Round — both men were 66 years old. The survivor of the speedboat accident was identified as Giles’ brother Junior Giles, who had to swim more than 100 metres to shore.
