While the official search for Isaac Kettle has come to an end, residents across Newfoundland and Labrador are continuing the call to bring him home.
Kettle was among a crew of four men on the Sarah Anne—a fishing vessel that headed out from St. Lawrence early Monday morning, but would not return.
Three bodies were recovered following what the Canadian Coast Guard calls an “exhaustive search” of the waters near St. Lawrence.
However, the effort was called off on Wednesday evening, as the Coast Guard handed the matter to the RCMP as a missing persons case.
The RCMP issued a statement that they would not be picking up the search.
Isaac’s wife, Kerri Lynn Kettle, says calling off the search is not good enough. In a post to Facebook last night, she stated that their family, which includes two young kids, needs to find some closure by having his body returned.
Voices emerged from the community and across the province, indicating that they were not giving up hope. One such call came in the form of an online petition, which quickly collected thousands of digital signatures.
It calls for the search to continue in order to get answers or closure for the young family of Isaac Kettle.
FFAW Joins to Call to Help Bring Fourth Fisherman Home
The FFAW has been in contact with the Canadian Coast Guard since they called off the search for the fourth crew member of the Sarah Anne.
President Keith Sullivan says they are working with people to contact the provincial and federal government to get the search back on.
He says they are thinking about the Kettle and Norman families and bringing the fourth fisherman home.
Sullivan says the FFAW will continue to support harvesters and the families in any way they can. He says it is a sensitive time, and they will lend their support and give them space.
The tragedy has brought safety to the top of mind for many harvesters, and some harvesters took to social media to express the need for updated protocols.
Sullivan explains that fishing can bring unique challenges, and it is a dangerous operation.
He says they have had proposals in for harvesters to wear a personal locator beacon. Sullivan believes this is something that can be an advancement with today’s technology but up to this point, government has not supported it.
Transportation safety Board in Preliminary Stages of Investigation
Meanwhile, the Transportation Safety Board is gathering and assessing information surrounding what happened to the Sarah Anne, the boat the fishermen were on when they left St. Lawrence Monday.
Debris from the vessel has been located and recovered by searchers.
The Transportation Safety Board is gathering information to determine its next course of action.
In the meantime, a GoFundMe page has been launched to raise money for the families of the men who were lost.