Body pulled from wreck

Photo: The Canadian Press

Maj. Mark Norris of the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre and Canadian Coast Guard officer Marc Ouellette.

The body of a fishing boat captain has been recovered from a vessel that ran aground off northeastern Nova Scotia.

RCMP Cpl. Jennifer Clarke says the body of 64-year-old Roger Stoddard was taken off the boat at about 8:30 a.m. Friday by local fishermen.

It appears the fishermen found the remains of their friend in his bunk.

The Fisherman's Provider II rammed into a rocky shoal known as Frying Pan Shoal on Tuesday and the captain didn't want to leave the vessel along with three other crew who were rescued.

Bob Anderson of the Area 24 Crab Fishermen's Association said Stoddard had been a fisherman for most of his life.

Maj. Mark Norris of the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre said Thursday that they were scaling back their search since there were no heat signatures on the vessel.

"Our thoughts are with the families of the captain and crew of the Fisherman's Provider II at this difficult time," the RCMP said Friday.