Two men reported missing off the coast of Newfoundland are now considered lost at sea, police said in a media release Wednesday, confirming it has ceased active search efforts for them.
The 10-day search and rescue effort involved multiple agencies, including the RCMP, the Canadian Coast Guard and the Armed Forces.
The two men, a 20-year-old and a 30-year-old, had departed in a 14-foot aluminum boat near Lawrence Harbour, on Nov. 13 for a hunting expedition.
They were reported past due on Sunday evening, launching a wide-ranging search.
On Nov. 15, searchers reported finding debris — later confirmed to be the overturned boat and personal items — floating in the water about three nautical miles north of Black Island, Notre Dame Bay.
The location was about 15 miles from their starting point, according to a coast guard superintendent.
Rescuers scoured “thousands of square nautical miles” by water, air and ground in an effort to find the men, the RCMP said.
A police investigation will remain open, the RCMP continued, “with any new evidence or sightings considered and pursued.”