RCMP confirm that sunken Mi’kmaq fishing boat had drill holes in the hull

Mi'kmaq
The Mi’kmaq fishing boat April and Brothers under water in Cape Breton.

APTN News
The RCMP in Nova Scotia say a Mi’kmaq fishing boat that was found underwater on Dec. 26 had drill holes in the hull.

But the Mounties have stopped short of saying that those holes were put there deliberately.

“The RCMP Forensic Identification Section (FIS) conducted an examination on the boat and it appeared to have holes in the hull,” said Cpl. Lisa Croteau, public relations officer for the RCMP in Halifax in an email to APTN.

“The holes are believed to have been caused by a drill.”

(Holes in the hull of the Mi’kmaq fishing boat April and Brothers. Photo courtesy: Seki Bernard Sr.)

Ashton Bernard is the captain of the April and Brothers and is from the Eskasoni First Nation in Nova Scotia.

He had just put the boat in the water a week prior to the sinking.

He told APTN News on Dec. 28 that he and his crew were fishing lobster out of St. Peters in Cape Breton.

Early in the morning on Boxing Day, he found his boat under water at the wharf.

“I was like, holy shit, this is really happened,” said Bernard. “I was hoping nobody did this on purpose. But they cut the ropes, and untied all the major lines.

“I’m just speechless.”

Read more: 

‘Racism is alive and well’: Mi’kmaq fishermen vow to be back on the water after boat sunk

His uncle and crew mate, Seki Bernard Sr., said he was the last one on the boat and knew right away it was sabotage.

“I’ve been fishing for years. This isn’t my first rodeo,” said Bernard Sr. “It was a bad sight to see, really. I have so many mixed emotions, so discouraged. It’s the holidays. I want to get mad. But then I’m just going to stoop to their level.

“I want people to know what’s going on in their own backyard. Racism is alive and well in Cape Breton.”

-with files from Trina Roache

[email protected]

@aptnnews

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1 thought on “RCMP confirm that sunken Mi’kmaq fishing boat had drill holes in the hull

  1. Antony Chavez says:

    Colonialism has a History of this Behavior,……Sorry, its Saddening to Deal with All these Decades,…….!

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