Searchers find body of one of two teens missing after boat capsized off P.E.I.

ALBERTON, P.E.I. — An underwater search team has found the body of one of two 17-year-old boys who went missing when their small boat capsized off Prince Edward Island last week.

The searchers recovered the body of Ethan Reilly at about 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, RCMP spokesman Sgt. Neil Logan said, but that of Alex Hutchinson is still missing.

“We’re still actively searching for the other young man,” Logan said. “Our undercover recovery team went right back out there as soon as they located one.”

Logan said they’re keeping their focus on the area where they found Ethan — near Fox Island, the same area they’d been searching for several days.

Three people were in the boat when it capsized Wednesday near Northport on the western end of P.E.I., the Maritime Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Halifax, has said.

The centre, which was initially handling the case, has said one boy made it back to shore and a massive search involving military aircraft and coast guard vessels began for the other two.

Eventually, the case was handed over to the RCMP.

Community members from all over the Island also got involved.

Their efforts have ranged from people in Charlottetown sending money to the local bakery to pay for food to be sent to the community centre to politicians from all over the Island calling, or in one case stopping by a makeshift command centre with a lemon loaf.

Logan said local firefighters also lent a hand.

“It’s been a difficult week for sure,” he said Sunday. “But the community up there, it’s just been amazing the way they kind of came together and helped out.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 20, 2020. 

The Canadian Press