Three fishermen died after their boat sank off the coast of La Tabatière, on the Basse-Côte-Nord, during the night from Sunday to Monday.
The Canadian Coast Guard confirmed Monday evening that it was informed at 2:39 a.m. that the fishing vessel Silver Condor had sunk about 20 nautical miles (37 km) from the coast. Six people were on board.
No less than six boats were assigned to the rescue operation, including a vessel from the Ministry of National Defense. The passengers were transported to different hospital centers in Newfoundland and New Brunswick, according to the Sûreté du Québec (SQ).
The police force, which confirmed on Tuesday the death of three of them, opened an investigation since the tragic event occurred in the territorial waters of Quebec, but nothing at the moment seems to indicate that a criminal act would be the source of the shipwreck. The results of this investigation will then be transferred to the Coroner’s Office.
The weather could be to blame, said a spokesperson for the police force, Hugues Beaulieu, specifying that the survivors of the shipwreck have not yet been met and that they will be able to help clarify the matter.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) and the Commission for Standards, Equity, Health and Safety at Work (CNESST) could also be called upon to look into the matter.