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The cyclone struck late in the evening of June 19, after the commercial salmon fishing fleet had sailed from Escuminac to set their nets at the mouth of Miramichi Bay and drift with them until morning.
The skies turned ominous shortly after supper that evening and the storm hit with such ferocity that the shallow waters of the western Gulf of St. Lawrence were reportedly running between 50-60 feet in height. Unfortunately the updated storm warnings had not been passed on from meteorologists to the fishing fleet on account of the lack of radios onboard the boats.
22 of the 54 boats which had sailed from Escuminac were missing and fishermen who survived the storm described the sheer terror of the experience to rescuers from the community, Royal Canadian Air Force (from RCAF Station Chatham and RCAF Station Summerside) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police who mounted a search effort over the ensuing days. Relatives of the missing maintained a vigil on the shores of the Gulf as the news story of the search for survivors gripped Canadians across the country throughout the remaining days of June 1959.
As the hopes of finding survivors dimmed, the small fishing community of Escuminac (pop. approximately 600) was faced with 19 widows and 76 fatherless children unprovided for. In addition to the loss of life, the loss of property was potentially disastrous to the entire region which saw infrastructure such as wharves and breakwaters damaged, vessels destroyed and fishing gear such as trawls and lobster traps lost or damaged beyond repair.
A relief fund was established and contributions came in from across Canada. Even the town of Springhill, Nova Scotia, itself the victim of mining disasters in 19561956 is a leap year starting on Sunday. see link for calendar) Events January January 1 End of Anglo- Egyptian Condominium in Sudan. January 16 President Gamal Abdal Nasser of Egypt vows to reconquer Palestine January 26 1956 Winter Olympic Games open in and 1958Events January January 1 Treaty of Rome founding the EU is implemented January 4 Sputnik 1 falls to Earth from its orbit (launched on October 4 1957) January 8 14 year old Bobby Fischer wins the United States Chess Championship January 18 Armed Lumbee Nat, sent 2 tons of food aid alone.
Both Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth IIGolden Jubilee in 2002, wearing her Canadian orders) Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary), styled HM The Queen (born April 21, 1926) is the Queen regnant and Head of State of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland an and His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of EdinburghHis Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (Philip Mountbatten), styled HRH The Duke of Edinburgh (born June 10, 1921), is the consort of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Originally a Greek citiz, who were on a Royal Tour in another part of Canada at the time, expressed their sympathies and are reportedly the source of a large anonymous donation which was made to the relief fund in the days following the event.
Today, the Escuminac Disaster Monument sits as a memorial on the shores of Escuminac Harbour, not far from the very wharf that the fleet sailed from. The monument carries the names of the 35 victims and this inscription: