ST. JOHN'S, NL — A Canadian Coast Guard ship involved in the dramatic high-seas rescue of 22 people from a burning fishing vessel has arrived in St. John's, N.L.
The Leonard J. Cowley was only minutes away on Sunday when the 30-metre Spanish trawler Monte Galineiro sent out a distress call. The Cowley arrived about 10 minutes later, just as crew members were getting into their life-boats or jumping into the open mid-Atlantic.
One person was flown to St. John's for treatment of smoke inhalation — the rest were taken on board the Cowley, which is now in the port city.
Another person suffering hypothermia was treated on the coast guard vessel.
Dan Frampton, the regional supervisor for the rescue centre in St. John's, said the crew from the Spanish vessel appear to be in good shape after a relatively comfortable night. “To my knowledge everything went well ...
“We've heard nothing other than everybody is okay. There's been no request for any medical (assistance) upon their arrival.”
The Cowley was conducting a routine fisheries patrol about 400 kilometres southeast of St. John's when it received the distress call.
Capt. Derek LeRiche said the Crowley had been slowly approaching the Spanish trawler with plans to send fisheries inspectors on board when he received the mayday.
He called it a “bit of luck” for the desperate mariners that his ship was only minutes away.
“We were thinking of doing a boarding on her anyway,” Capt. LeRiche explained by telephone Sunday night from his ship.
“All the cards were in line that we were so close.”
Within 10 minutes of receiving the call, the coast guard ship arrived just as the Spanish fishermen were leaping into the water or sliding into life-rafts to escape the burning trawler, which was listing precariously to one side.
“Some jumped and some got launched in their life-rafts,” said Capt. LeRiche. “Some jumped with life-jackets, some without.
“It was pretty dramatic when you see a ship sinking and people being launched in a life-raft, people jumping off the side. It's a pretty dramatic scene.”
Within seconds, the panicked mariners — some wearing neoprene survival suits and others in regular clothing — were thrashing in the ocean and calling for help.
“Everything happened quite fast,” said Capt. LeRiche, who quickly ordered the launch of a rapid rescue craft.
“We managed to pick them up quite fast, and most didn't have ill effects of the water temperature.”
One crewman who spent too long in the frigid water had hypothermia and was treated on board. Only a portion of the trawler was above water when the Canadian ship left the scene.
Capt. LeRiche said the rescued crew — 21 men and one woman — were extremely grateful to be saved.
“They were quite happy to get on board the ship. You can imagine now,” he said with a chuckle.
The Leonard J. Cowley was just outside of Canada's 200-mile jurisdictional limit at the time of the rescue.
It routinely monitors foreign fleets to ensure they're complying with fishing regulations set by the North Atlantic Fisheries Organization.
Capt. LeRiche said he was pleased to thwart a major tragedy.
“It's not that often that you're so close to a vessel in distress. It's not something you see very often,” he said.
“It's a good ending, a happy ending.”
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