Akwesasne Mohawk Police say the search is still underway today for a local man whose boat was found where eight bodies were pulled from the St. Lawrence River last week.
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The force issued an afternoon statement saying a search will continue until sunset for 30-year-old Akwesasne resident Casey Oakes, whom officers have been seeking since Thursday when the migrants’ bodies were first discovered.
Akwesasne Mohawk Police Chief Shawn Dulude speaks to the media Friday, March 31, 2023 after a boat capsized and left eight people confirmed dead in Akwesasne, Quebec. Dulude says the eight people who died are believed to have been attempting illegal entry into the United States from Canada.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
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A police helicopter searches the area in Akwesasne, Que., Friday, March 31, 2023. Authorities in the Mohawk Territory of Akwesasne say one child is missing after the bodies of six migrants of Indian and Romanian descent were pulled from the river Thursday.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
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Oakes was last seen Wednesday night operating a boat that was found next to the migrants’ bodies, but police have made no direct connections between Oakes and the deaths.
Police identified two of the migrants on Saturday as 28-year-old Cristina (Monalisa) Zenaida Iordache and 28-yearold Florin Iordache, who was carrying Canadian passports for two young children who were among the victims.
The identities of four Indian nationals have not yet been confirmed.
Searchers dock at a marina as the search for victims continues Friday, March 31, 2023 after a boat capsized and left six people dead and two missing in Akwesasne, Que.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Searchers look for victims Friday, March 31, 2023 after a boat capsized and left six people dead and one infant missing in Akwesasne, Que.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
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Akwesasne straddles the Canada-U.S. border, with parts of the territory in Ontario, Quebec and New York state.
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Authorities have said the territory’s unique geography makes it a popular spot for human smugglers, with police making 48 separate interceptions involving 80 people trying to enter the United States illegally since January.