The CEO of St. John’s-based Ocean Choice International says the captain and crew of the sunken Atlantic Destiny performed admirably during an ordeal that could easily have had a different outcome.
Fire broke out in the engine room of the scallop dragger on the Georges Bank at about 8:30 Tuesday night.
Additional Imagery of the FV Atlantic Destiny last night. pic.twitter.com/ISTmpCHBCr
— HfxJRCC_CCCOS (@hfxjrcc) March 3, 2021
The vessel lost power and began taking on water, eventually sinking in the early hours of Wednesday.
SAR techs from the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax plucked 27 of the crew off the vessel in very difficult conditions with high winds and the ocean churning like a washing machine. The other four crewmembers left the Destiny a few hours later aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Cape Roger.
Imagery of the transfer of the final four crew from the FV Atlantic Destiny and the two SAR Techs to the CCGS Cape Roger this morning. At 1036 AST, the FV sunk.
The Cape Roger is now heading towards Shelburne, NS. pic.twitter.com/dAMrSPnwmK— HfxJRCC_CCCOS (@hfxjrcc) March 3, 2021
Martin Sullivan praised the SAR techs for safely removing the crew. He says some crew had stayed onboard to try to keep the pumps running but they realized they couldn’t stay ahead of the water filling up.
The CCGS Cape Roger was nearby so the crew made a decision to abandon ship and were safely evacuated. Martin says it was a great job by everyone and he’s proud of the whole crowd.
Two of the crew are from Newfoundland and Labrador.
The US Coast Guard Northeast released video of the rescue.