IQALUIT, Nunavut — The owner of a Newfoundland fishing boat is praising his nine crew members and the rescuers who managed to bring them to safety from a life-raft that was being tossed in heaving seas off Baffin Island on Monday night.
Bradley Watkins of Cottlesville, N.L., says the vessel's captain and the crew used their training to don survival suits and safely board their life-raft as their state-of-the art fishing vessel Atlantic Charger was taking on water.
All of the crew are described as healthy and are on board a fishing vessel today that is steaming back to Harbour Grace.
Watkins also praised the skill of the personnel who participated in the search, including a military airplane that managed to drop a radio close enough to the life-raft that the crew were able to retrieve it and speak to the rescuers.
A bulk ore carrier arrived on the scene, and provided some protection from the high seas as the fishing vessel Pamiuk drew alongside the life-raft and took the men on board.
The vessel, launched in July 2013, is equipped for crab, shrimp and turbot fishing.