HALIFAX – Police have concluded their search for missing senior James Cuthbert, and believe he went overboard on the ferry between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.
Investigators do not suspect foul play in the case.
The 71-year-old was last heard from on Oct. 26. He left his home in Head of Jeddore, N.S., then placed a call home from the Canadian Tire at Dartmouth Crossing.
Family, friends and volunteers searched tirelessly for any sign of Cuthbert and his vehicle.
On Thursday, police found his Toyota Prius at a parking lot in North Sydney, Cape Breton.
On Friday afternoon, Cuthbert’s son-in-law Tom Martin said at a news conference that Cuthbert shaved off his beard between the time he was in Dartmouth and when he arrived at the ferry terminal.
READ: Missing man James Cuthbert shaved beard, boarded ferry in North Sydney
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Investigators said they believe Cuthbert boarded a ferry to Port aux Basques, N.L. for an 11:45 p.m. crossing on the same day he went missing.
On Saturday, Halifax Regional Police and RCMP said they had concluded their investigation and thanked the public for their assistance in the case over the last two weeks.
“Our thoughts and sympathies go out to the Cuthbert family and their friends,” McCoombs said.
In a Facebook post, Martin thanked the community and police on behalf of Cuthbert’s family.
“Something broke in Jim that day and we have no idea of what or why. What we do know is we were blessed to have him in our lives,” it read.
“To those of you that helped, cooked, searched, prayed, waited and cried with us, we will never be able to properly thank you. All we can say for certain is you will never know how much we appreciate your love and support, and the Cuthbert/Martin family thank each of you with all our hearts.”
With a file from Patrick Odell
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