Four missing after fishing boat capsizes

Rescue teams were searching today for four men missing after their fishing vessel capsized off Cape Breton while it was being towed by a Canadian Coast Guard ship.

It was not immediately known if the vessel was participating in the annual seal hunt in the area, which started on Friday morning.

Navy Lt Lora Collier said the 12-metre (40ft) fishing vessel from the Iles de la Madeleine in Quebec had a crew of six on board when it developed a steering problem about 70km (40 miles) north of Cape Breton.

Collier said the vessel was being towed by a Coast Guard ship when it overturned this morning.

Two crew members were rescued by another fishing boat that was nearby, she said.

A Hercules search-and-rescue aircraft and a Cormorant helicopter have been dispatched to help in the search for the other four crewmen.

"As long as there is any hope, the search-and-rescue operation is certainly continuing," Collier said.

About 16 boats with 100 hunters headed out from the Iles de la Madeleine at the opening of the hunt toward a large herd of seals in the Cabot Strait between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

Three sealing vessels were reported to be struggling in heavy ice conditions late last night off Cape Breton - two taking in some water and the other suffering mechanical problems.

A Halifax search-and-rescue centre official said two coast guard icebreakers were sent to try to help the three sealing vessels out of the ice.