Father and daughter die when wooden raft turns near Blackville

A 55-year-old father and his 29-year-old daughter died after a homemade raft returned to the Miramichi River at Gray Rapids on Tuesday.

Eight people were on the raft when it overturned shortly after 4 pm, Cpl RCMP Jullie Rogers-Marsh said:

Six people went to the coast on their own means, and the woman was pulled from the water and received CPR.

"She was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead," Rogers-Marsh said. "The cause of death has been confirmed to be a drowning."

Shortly after, the body of the man was found in the water. Rogers-Marsh said that the man and woman came from the White Rapids area, about 12 kilometers north of Blackville.

"There was a short time when he was gone … but then he was in the water," Rogers-Marsh said.

An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.

Nobody else was injured in the incident, on which the Northeast District RCMP is still investigating. Danny Coughlan, who witnessed the capsize and helped bring the girl back to shore, said the raft seemed sturdy and floated by barrels

Tragedy Still Strikes

This is the second tragedy of the Blackville area.

Over the weekend, 14-year-old Thomas Anthony Dunn died after his dirt bike and a car clashed at the intersection of Hallihan Lane and Howard Road in Blackville

. also mourned the loss of two other youths, who have died in separate incidents in the past 12 months.

"It's definitely a state of loss and a sad moment for us," said Blackville Mayor Christopher Hennessy. Morning Moncton.

Students drove their off-road motorcycles at the Canada Day Parade in Blackville on Sunday in memory of their friend Thomas Anthony Dunn, who died as a result of a collision with a car. (Hadeel Ibrahim / CBC) (Hadeel Ibrahim / CBC)

Hennessy would not comment on the raft accident but described the previous three deaths as "a shadow over everything".

"It looks like it's one after the other, it's terrible," he said. "We have not really pbaded it."

The mayor hopes the community will come together and residents will support each other.

"All we can do is stay together and hope for the best. 19659002] After Dunn's death, bereavement counselors and teachers were available at the Blackville School on Monday to help students and other members of the community.

The funeral will be held Thursday at the Roman Catholic Church St. Bridget in Renous.