Crews were able to save a vessel from sinking after it began taking on water in St. John’s Harbour, but the feat was no easy task.

The scene on the waterfront was dramatic Thursday morning with the ship listing badly against the side of the dock.

Crews were eventually able to stabilize the ship, and no fuel from the vessel escaped into the water.

Conditions were not ideal, as the capital city was in the midst of its first winter storm of the season at the time.

However, as Bruce English, Senior Response Officer with the Environmental Response Section of the Canadian Coast Guard explains the biggest challenge for them involved the gear needed to drain the water from the boat.

He says they needed to navigate the suction hose around all the equipment and fishing gear on the vessel so they could reach the water.