Bodies of migrants found in St Lawrence river identified

A family from India was among those whose bodies were found. A relative said they were in Canada for two months on visitor visas

Canadian police and family members have identified the migrants whose bodies were found in a marsh on the St Lawrence river last week.

The migrants were two families from India and Romania who police believe were trying to cross into the US.

Among them were a 28-year-old Romanian couple and their two young children, police said.

The second family was identified by relatives in Gujarat, India.

A total of eight bodies were recovered on Thursday and Friday in Tsi Snaihne in Akwesasne, a Mohawk territory right between the US-Canada border.

A local boater from Akwesasne, 30-year-old Casey Oakes, remains missing.

Police said his boat was found close to where the bodies were recovered from the water, but they have not made any connection between Mr Oakes and the deaths.

On Saturday, the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service identified the Romanian family as 28-year-olds Florin Iordache and Cristina (Monalisa) Zenaida Iordache.

Their two children - a one-year-old and a two-year-old - were among those whose bodies were recovered.

Police said that Mr Iordache was found with two Canadian passports in his pocket that belonged to his children, both of whom were born in Canada.

Federal court documents show that two people with the same name as Mr Iordache and his wife had filed an immigration case on 10 March in Canada.

The case asks for a judicial review of a pre-removal risk assessment, which is used to fight a deportation order by arguing why their lives would be in danger if they were to be removed from Canada.

The four other bodies that were found belong to an Indian family from Gujarat, according to a report by the Economic Times.

A relative of the family told the Indian newspaper that his brother, sister-in-law and their two children had left for Canada two months ago on visitor visas.

They were identified as Praveeni Chaudhary, 50, his wife Diksha, 45, their son Meet, 20, and their daughter Vidhi, 24.

"Yesterday morning I learnt about the death of members of a family from India in Canada," Jasubhai Chaudhary told reporters in India. "I tried to contact my brother but was not able to do so. This caused suspicion that they were our family members."

An official from Mehsana district in Gujarat confirmed their death to the newspaper and said that arrangements were being made to return their bodies to India.

On Monday, speaking to reporters in Quebec Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said "the tragedy is immeasurable".

But he cautioned about "jumping to conclusions" about this case and said Canada needed an immigration system that was "rigorous" and also welcoming to newcomers and the most vulnerable.

"When people take risks to cross our borders in an irregular fashion - or if they pay criminals to get them across the border - this isn't a system we can have confidence in," he said.

In January 2022, the bodies of another family of four from Gujarat, including an infant, were found in a snowy field near Emerson, Manitoba, near the US-Canada border. The family was believed to be trying to enter the US, officials said, and they were also in Canada on visitor visas.

US border agents have noted a recent uptick of people crossing from Canada.

US Border Patrol apprehended 367 people attempting to cross north to south this January near Montreal - more than the number of such crossings in the last 12 years combined.