Damaged Arctic fishing vessel F/V Saputi arrives in Greenland
All 30 crew members safe on land
The crew of a fishing vessel damaged after striking ice Sunday night are now safe on land in Greenland, according to Canadian Forces Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax.
The F/V Saputi was fishing for turbot in the Davis Strait when it ran into ice around 10 p.m. ET Sunday night and began taking on water. All 30 crew members on board — seven of which are from Nunavut — are safe, but the ship may have lost about $1 million in catch and sustained at least $1 million in damage.
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The Saputi was expected in Nuuk Monday night, but rough waters delayed the arrival by more than a day.
The Saputi was escorted to Nuuk by a Danish Coast Guard ship. Harry Flaherty, president and CEO of the Qikiqtaaluk Fisheries Corporation, had said that four crew members were transferred to the Danish ship, while 26 remained on board the fishing vessel en route to Greenland.
The Canadian Forces' Joint Task Force Atlantic also provided support to the Saputi by dispatching a Hercules aircraft, which dropped off four extra pumps to remove water from the vessel.
Another Hercules monitored the Saputi during its trip to Greenland.
'It's an uncomfortable situation'
Flaherty said plans will be made to return the crew home, adding that they are considering chartering them back to Canada.
"For the vessel itself, it will have to be inspected closely before any decision is made whether to continue over to Iceland, or Poland, where it needs to be repaired."