1 dead, another missing in St. Lawrence River

Quebec provincial police continuing search for missing person

A Montreal man is dead and another person remains missing after two people fell into the St. Lawrence River near Marsoui in the Gaspé region on Friday morning.

Quebec provincial police say emergency services received calls about two people in distress in the water at around 8:15 a.m.

The two were fishing from a rocky shelf when one lost his footing and fell in the water. The second person attempted to help and was also swept away by the current.

Police told CBC one of the victims, a man in his 30s from Montreal, was discovered by search teams on Friday morning.

The Canadian Coast Guard, local firefighters and volunteers joined a provincial police boat and helicopter in the search on Friday.

Police continue the search for the second person, also from Montreal.

On Saturday morning, Élizabeth Marquis-Guy, a Sûreté du Québec (SQ) spokesperson, told Radio-Canada that a command post has been set up and search specialists have been requested on site.

Marsoui mayor Renée Gasse said her thoughts are with the families of the fishers.

"I am certain that the entire population is shaken by this event," she said, adding that the tides had been unusually strong in the area in recent days.

"Last week, we had huge tides, autumn tides in the middle of July," she said.

A Quebec provincial police boat and a helicopter remained on site Saturday to search the water and the shoreline.