HMCS Vancouver responds to mayday call
Lt(N) Kelly Rozenberg
HMCS Vancouver
September 25, 2006
MCpl Karl McKay
Base Imaging Services
HMCS Vancouver’s rescue crew steers through the choppy waters of Hecate Strait towards the Mistann, which ran aground on the shore of Green Island.
A distress call that upgraded to a mayday drew HMCS Vancouver from anchorage at Port Simpson Sept. 14 to help a boat in trouble.
After a long day of seamanship and navigation, the ship and crew were settling in for the night when naval communicators heard a distress call on VHF channel 16. Ten people were on board the 45-foot boat, which was stranded on the shoals off a small set of islets near Port Simpson. The boat was taking on water and in need of assistance.
Just as the Commanding Officer decided to assist the boat, the pan was upgraded to a mayday distress, and Vancouver was formally asked by the Canadian Coast Guard to assist.
The crew quickly closed up and Vancouver set out to locate the boat.
A CF maritime patrol aircraft operating 125 nautical miles north of Prince Rupert also responded and was the first unit to visually locate the boat. Vancouver arrived on scene in 30 minutes and the crew launched their rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) to investigate the state of the boat and passengers.
“It was difficult to get to the boat because they were located between two very large shoals,” said LS Alex Makrodimitras, a boatswain who crewed the ship’s RHIB. “The people were happy to see us and were ready to immediately jump into our boat. It was rough out there, very windy with large swells crashing the boat against the rocks, but the Coast Guard rescue boat that showed up soon after us were also a big help.”
All 10 passengers were found to be in good condition with only minor injuries; seven people were transported to Vancouver for medical attention. The other three passengers were embarked in the Coast Guard RHIB, the Point Henry 2, and transported to a private vessel that also responded to the distress call.
Vancouver took their passengers to Prince Rupert.
“It feels good to use the training the military gives us daily in a real life experience, and to know that when you actually need to use those skills, you are prepared to execute them near flawlessly, and adjust to a situation without having to think about things as they change,” said LS Regan Mick, bowsman in the RHIB.
Vancouver is currently at sea conducting a northern patrol. The ship’s tasking is part of a larger Chief of Maritime Staff initiative in which various Maritime Forces Pacific ships contribute a total of 50 days each year at sea demonstrating presence and asserting Canadian sovereignty in the coastal waters of B.C.
These patrols ensure the navy has an in-depth understanding and knowledge of the waters and coastline for which Joint Task Force Pacific has responsibility. During the first week at sea, Vancouver and crew conducted patrols along the coast of Queen Charlotte and Moresby Islands. In addition to the planned patrols, Vancouver conducted seamanship, advanced navigation and other shipboard training, while also focusing on strengthening ties with her namesake city and other smaller, more remote B.C. communities.
