Debris from missing N.S. scallop dragger may have been spotted during aerial search

The RCMPmay have discovered debrisfrom the missing scallop dragger Chief William Saulis, but it's too early to say with certainty.

The debris was located during an aerial search on Mondayafter the search had been paused for the holiday weekend.

The team searched about 100 kilometres of coastline from Digby Gut, N.S., to Harbourville, N.S., by helicopter, according to a news release.

The vessel with six men aboard has not been seen or heard from since it sent out itsemergency beaconnear Delaps Coveshortly before 6 a.m. on Dec. 15. One body was recovered.

Debris 'consistent' with missing boat

Tuesday'sreleasedescribes the debrisas "consistent with a small section of the upperportion of the Chief William Saulis,"but that nothing has been confirmed.

"It just seems to be consistent with the debris we've located so far ... this here fits the aging, weathering, those kind of factors," saidRCMP Sgt. Andrew Joyce.

He didnot say where the debris was located.

Police are working with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada to determine whether the debris is from the vessel.

TSB has been inspectingdebris found since the search started two weeks ago, but has not yet inspected the debris found on Monday, saidPierre Murray, marine operations manager for TSBin the Atlantic region.

"When we go into an investigation like this, we want to find out anything that could lead us to understand what happened and why," he said.

Murray said the investigation could take anywhere from a day to amonth, depending on the condition the debris is in and whether it needs to be sent to a lab for analysis.

The aerial search is expected to resume on Wednesday. No helicopter was available Tuesday.

The body ofcrew memberMichael Drake of Newfoundlandwas recoveredshortly after the vessel went missing.

The remaining five crew members,Aaron Cogswell, Leonard Gabriel, Dan Forbes, EugeneFrancisand Charles Roberts, the captain of the vessel, have not been found.

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