Six Crewmen Survive More Than Two Hours In Ocean

Six fishermen were plucked from frigid waters off the coast of Newfoundland last week by search and rescue crews from Canadian Air Force 103 Search and Rescue Squadron, 9 Wing Gander.

The crab fishing vessel "Nautical Legacy" caught fire about 80 miles east-northeast of St. John's. The crew sent a mayday distress call and abandoned ship.

Four Coast Guard ships, a CC-130 Hercules from 413 Transport and Rescue Squadron, 14 Wing Greenwood, and a CH-149 Cormorant from 103 Squadron responded to the distress call. A Fisheries and Oceans surveillance plane operated by Provincial Airlines and a fishing vessel also joined in the search and rescue operation.

Within an hour and a half of the distress call, the CH-109 Cormorant located the vessel and rescued the crew. But, by then, the survivors had been in the 35-degree Fahrenheit water for more than two hours.

However, the fishermen putting their survival knowledge into practice helped save their lives, according to the RCAF.

"These guys were really smart; they did all the right things," said Capt. Chris Herten, the CH-109 commander.

Of the six fishermen, five were wearing survival suits. They had tied the sixth man to a buoy and formed a close huddle around him to maintain as much body heat as possible.

The men were treated for hypothermia once aboard the helicopter and flown to St. John's, Newfoundland, where they were transferred to a local medical facility for observation.

All have since made a good recovery.

(Photo courtesy of Canadian Defense Forces)

FMI: www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/site