A Transportation Safety Board investigation into one of the most miraculous at-sea survivals off Newfoundland last summer has found that the captain and crew did everything right.
The seven members of the Elite Navigator spent just over 48 hours in a lifeboat after their vessel burned and sank. Heavy fog prevented rescuers from spotting the life raft but the men never gave up hope—telling jokes and singing songs to keep up their spirits.
The board says that “weak safety cultures” are often aboard fishing vessels, but that was not the case with the crew of the Elite Navigator.
The report found that the ill-fated boat had far exceeded safety measures, saying that the crew had talked over safety regulations regularly.
Photo via Transportation Safety Board
The report did recommended “having emergency equipment available, and ensuring that the crew are familiar with its use.”
The board did not find the cause of the fire.
They have become affectionately known as “The Lucky Seven,” a story which will forever become etched in the maritime history of Newfoundland and Labrador.
