Rescued In Nick Of Time

Rescued in nick of time
Lobster boat sinks off Cape Split minutes after helicopter plucks three fishermen from danger
By GORDON DELANEY Valley Bureau
Tue. May 11 - 5:23 AM


The crew of a Cormorant helicopter rescues three lobster fishermen from the Eric and Junior III on Monday morning in Scots Bay, Kings County. (Photos by 14 Wing Greenwood)




The Eric and Junior III goes over on her side.





THREE NOVA SCOTIA lobster fishermen are lucky to be alive after their boat sank Monday morning in Scots Bay, near Cape Split, Kings County.

The emergency call came in to the Joint Rescue Co­ordination Centre in Halifax at about 9:40 a.m., centre spokeswoman Jeri Grychowski said in an interview.

The crew radioed for help when the Eric and Junior III, registered in Port La Tour, Shelburne County, but based in Halls Harbour, began taking on water, she said.

A Canadian Coast Guard auxiliary vessel and a Cormo­rant search and rescue helicopter from Greenwood were dispatched.

“There were a number of other vessels in the area, but the Cormorant was able to pick the people up," said Gry­chowski. “The vessel was taking on water when the three people were taken off. It all happened and was over very fast.’’

The 11-metre wooden lobster boat, built and registered n 1974, was skippered by Mark Taylor of Centreville, Kings Coun­ty, who also operates another lobster boat out of Halls Harbour. He could not be reached for comment Monday.

“The boat went down, but at least everybody’s safe," said Dick Killam, a Kings County councillor and resident of Halls Harbour.

“They’re OK. They landed in a field up from my place and some­one picked them up there."

He said it was a scary situation for the men.

“That’s not a good spot out there off the Split," Killam said.

“When the last person got off the boat, it was only a couple of minutes before it went down. . . .They were very lucky.

“I stopped in to see Mark around noontime and he’s doing OK, other than he’s looking for a boat now."

A Hercules aircraft from 14 Wing Greenwood was in the area conducting training exercises when the boat began sinking, said base spokesman Capt. Scott Spurr. He said the Hercules provided top cover and communications for the Cormorant helicopter. A search and rescue technician was lowered from the chopper to the deck of the sinking boat.

It was taking on water so fast, the decision was made to hoist the three fishermen from the stricken vessel to the helicopter, which was from 413 Search and Rescue Squadron, said Spurr.

The boat sank shortly after­wards. The men were shaken up but not injured and did not re­quire medical attention.

“We just happened to have a Hercules aircraft doing some routine training there, so it was nearby," said Spurr.

“There were no injuries whatso­ever."

It is not known why the boat began taking on water.