Once again, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are watching, waiting and hoping for the best as an extensive search is carried out off the northeast coast for the overdue fishing vessel Elite Navigator.
The boat, reportedly with seven people on board, was last heard from around 11:00 p.m. Wednesday, enroute to Valleyfield in Bonavista North to offload its turbot catch.
FFAW President Greg Pretty calls it an extremely difficult period as people await further news.
“I can tell you that every one of our members…this industry is very tightly connected…and every community in this province is thinking about this incident and we’re hoping for the best outcome here.”
🔴Members and staff of FFAW-Unifor are holding the crew of the Elite Navigator, their families, and the communities on the Northeast Coast in our constant thoughts as coastguard efforts are ongoing for the overdue vessel.
There is significant concern as weather conditions have…
— FFAW-Unifor (@FFAW_Unifor) July 19, 2024
Pretty says he is intimately familiar with the Valleyfield area, having serviced it for 20 years. “I know how difficult this is” he told VOCM Open Line.
Pretty says everyone is hoping and praying for a positive outcome.