Body Found In Canadian River Linked To Indian Family’s Death, Say Cops

Police believe the victims were attempting to cross into the US. (File)

Toronto:

Canadian authorities on Friday said they found a body this month in the St Lawrence River which belonged to a man connected to an investigation into the drowning of eight migrants, including members of an Indian family, in March when they were trying to enter the US from Canada illegally.

The body has been identified as Casey Oakes, who disappeared in March after he was last seen operating a boat later found near the bodies of two migrant families. One of the families was from Romania and the other was from India.

The Indian victims have been identified by their relatives in India as Pravin Chaudhary (50), Dakshaben Chaudhary (45), their daughter Vidhi (23), and son Met (20).

Oakes was 30 when he disappeared on March 29. His body was found in the river on July 3 near Ross Island, but it took some time for the identity to be confirmed.

He had last been seen at night, launching into St Lawrence from the eastern part of Cornwall Island — near the Ontario-Quebec border — in a light blue boat.

His family reported him missing the next day, the same day the bodies of six people, including a two-year-old child, were found in the water. Two other bodies were recovered the following day.

Police believe the victims were attempting to cross into the US.

In a news release issued Friday, Akwesasne Mohawk police said the coroner’s office recently confirmed Oakes’s identity.

“We wish to extend our condolences to Casey’s family and thank them for their patience during a difficult time,” the police service said.

“No further information will be released at this time.” The investigation into Oakes’s death, and the deaths of eight foreign nationals who were crossing the river by boat, continues, police said.

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