Ontario Provincial Police say they have recovered the body of fisherman Michael Smith who fell off a commercial boat and into Lake Erie on Monday.
Const. Ed Sanchcuk told Global News the body was recovered just after 3 p.m. on Friday.
It’s believed the 50-year-old father of two fell overboard from the fishing vessel, the ‘Donna F,’ late Monday morning about 13 kilometres west of Long Point.
Norfolk OPP said they were notified around noon Monday about the initial incident by the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Trenton.
They believe Smith went overboard sometime between 10:10 a.m. and 10:20 a.m.
OPP and emergency response teams started a search with their underwater recovery and marine units on Tuesday, ending with the recovery of Smith’s body on Friday afternoon.
Cousin James Misner told Global News before Smith’s recovery that he was like a ‘brother’ to him.
“He was like the best guy in the world.”
Misner said Smith was going into his fifth year as a fisherman after jobs with Norfolk Disposal Services and Misner’s uncle’s shipyard.