Eight migrants, including two children, reportedly perished while attempting to cross illegally from Canada into the United States.
Friday, a police helicopter saw two additional bodies in the St. Lawrence River. Two Romanian and Indian families are among the deceased.
At the time, officials were searching for Casey Oakes, 30, a missing boater in the vicinity. He remains missing.
It is unknown whether Mr. Oakes is connected to the families.
The first body was discovered at approximately 17:00 local time (21:00 GMT) in a marsh in Tsi Snaihne in Akwesasne, a Mohawk territory located between the United States and Canada.
The remaining bodies were found nearby. Police have not yet released their identities.
Six adults and two children perished.
A toddler under the age of three was in possession of a Canadian passport. A local police chief told reporters at a press conference on Friday that the second baby was also a Canadian citizen.
Lee-Ann O’Brien, deputy chief of Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service, informed reporters that the dead are believed to be from two families, one of Romanian heritage and one of Indian descent.
“All are thought to have attempted illegal entry into the United States from Canada,” stated Ms. O’Brien. She noted that the region had severe weather conditions on Wednesday night.
The bodies were discovered in the Quebec region of Akwesasne, a Mohawk community whose jurisdiction encompasses sections of Ontario, Quebec, and New York State. It is approximately 120 kilometres west of Montreal.
Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau stated, “This is a tragic circumstance.
“We must fully comprehend what occurred, how it occurred, and do everything possible to prevent this from happening again.”
In recent months, bodies of Canadians seeking to enter the United States have been recovered in various locations.
In January, authorities in Canada discovered the bodies of four people, including a baby, in a snow field near Emerson, Manitoba, near the US-Canada border. US officials believe the deceased were an Indian family.
Fritznel Richard, 44, was found dead near the US-Canada border in December while attempting to get into the United States to reunite with his wife and child.
US border agents have observed an increase in the number of people returning from Canada.
In January, the US Border Patrol detained 367 individuals attempting to cross from north to south – more than in the previous 12 years combined.
