Six bodies recovered from Akwesasne, near the US border
Police from the Mohawk community of Akwesasne, which straddles Quebec, Ontario and New York state, say they found six bodies in the waters of the St. Lawrence River late Thursday afternoon. According to our sources, migrants are among the victims.
At this time, it is not known whether these people were heading to the United States or Canada, according to what Radio-Canada learned.
In a brief statement posted on its Facebook page, the police department explains that a first body was located around 5 p.m. in a marshy area located in the Quebec part of the territory.
The bodies were spotted by a Canadian Coast Guard helicopter. One of the victims, a child, had in his possession a Canadian passport.
Police are trying to identify the victims and determine their status in Canada, also specifies the police department.
The exact cause of death has yet to be determined. The police marine unit, coast guard and community volunteer firefighters are continuing their search.
The gruesome discovery coincides with a search for the disappearance from a community member on Thursday. It is unknown if there is a connection between these two events.
Akwesasne police officers have requested the assistance of the Ontario Provincial Police and the Sûreté du Québec for the continuation of the investigation.
With information from Pascal Robidas
