Police await DNA tests on body found in St Lawrence River to see if it is missing Amazoneborg crewman

Quebec provincial police say a body which has been recovered in the St Lawrence River could be that of a crewman who went missing from the cargo ship Amazoneborg at the port of Trois-Rivieres on September 30.

Police, who conducted helicopter and scuba diver searches for the sailor, say they cannot confirm anything until tests are done on the recovered body.

Sergeant Eloise Cossette of the Surete du Quebec said on Thursday: “A body was found at the weekend about 25 kilometres east of where the man went missing from the boat.

“It could be the sailor but we need to complete a forensic investigation to confirm that.

“An autopsy has been done but we are waiting for DNA tests and toxicology analysis before we have enough details to make a formal identification. That may take a week or longer.”

Sergeant Cossette said that the nationality of the missing sailor is Filipino. He is believed to have been checking the ship’s draft before he disappeared.

Amazoneborg is owned by Dutch international transportation company Royal Wagenborg.