Captain of the 'Lucky 7' missing fish harvesters reflects on homecoming, one year later

One year after he made his triumphant return from two days spent missing at sea, Eugene Carter of New-Wes-Valley still looks forward to being on the water.

Carter was the captain of The Elite Navigator when the fishing vessel caught fire. So far away from the shore, abandoning ship was the only option.

The crew, now known as the "Lucky Seven," would soon spend 52 hours floating in a life raft. Families and friends back home prepared for a funeral. 

They had no contact with the rest of the world, and two of the men couldn't swim. Against all odds, each and every one of them made it back.

It was a Saturday when the seven fishermen were rescued about 270 kilometres away from shore on July 20, 2024.

"It [does flash] in my mind in and out a little bit, but it's all positive … knowing that we're all here one year later to talk about it," Carter told CBC News on Monday.

He said that so many things could have gone wrong during those days at sea, that these days he's "just thinking positive and thinking ahead."

WATCH | Eugene Carter looks back on the rescue, one year later:

‘Always in the back of my mind’: Looking back at the rescue of the Lucky 7, one year later

17 hours ago

Duration 5:13

One year ago, the community of New-Wes-Valley was celebrating an incredible survival story. A crew of fishermen, now known as the Lucky Seven, spent 50 hours adrift in a life raft over 200 kilometres from land, and were rescued in a rare positive outcome in a province with a history of tragedies at sea. Eugene Carter was captain of the Elite Navigator vessel, and spoke about it all with Here and Now’s Carolyn Stokes.

Carter is still fishing — in fact, he says every crew member except one has been back on the water since the incident.

Almost every one of the seven has a matching tattoo now, too. All except for Carter.

"I don't actually have mine yet because at the time they went and got their tattoos … I had to go fishing," he said.

Carter says everything that happened to him was a blur when he came home, trying to process it all.

The captain says he's lucky that he wasn't overly traumatized from being lost at sea, but he still double-checks everything when he ventures out on a boat.

"I guess you're always making sure your T's are crossed," said Carter.

A plaque dedicated to the Lucky Seven will soon be installed in New-Wes-Valley, but a date hasn't been decided yet.

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