The search continues in a marshy area of the St. Lawrence River to find a man from the Mohawk community of Akwesasne, after the discovery of eight bodies belonging to migrants.
Casey Oakes, 30, was last seen Wednesday evening on a boat found Thursday alongside the bodies of the migrants. However, the police authorities have not established a direct link between these deaths and the missing individual.
Akwesasne Mohawk Police say they are working with Immigration Canada and the United States Department of Homeland Security to confirm the identities of the eight migrants whose bodies were pulled from the St. Lawrence River this week.
Akwesasne straddles the Canada-US border, with parts of the territory in Ontario, Quebec and New York State.
A certain calm reigned on Saturday in the territory of Akwesasne as the rays of the sun managed to pierce the fog.
Val Gray, the owner of the internet café Three Feathers, sums up the mood of the community saddened by the tragedy.
“People are sad. They hope that anyone involved in the tragedy will be found, ”she says.
Police discovered the bodies of five adults and a child in a marshy area on Thursday, and recovered the bodies of a baby and an adult woman on Friday. One of the children was a Canadian citizen, and the victims are believed to be of Romanian and Indian origin.
Ms. Gray says she doesn’t know Casey Oakes. However, her father, a member of the community, is one of her clients.
The Mohawk council gave him the mission to feed all the volunteers who take part in the research. Ms. Gray says she served breakfast sandwiches for the past two days and dinner on Friday.
“The community supports each other. Each supports the other in one way or another, whether it’s the volunteers scouring the area or the companies donating to the volunteers. This is our community. No matter what, everyone is ready to help. »
A few volunteers gathered at the Akwesasne Volunteer Fire Station as police blocked access to the marina.
Authorities say the territory’s unique geography makes it a popular location for smugglers. Police have made 48 separate interceptions involving 80 people trying to enter the United States illegally since January.