Dramatic rescue at sea for 3 Canadians
Written by on February 9th, 2012 in Latest News.
Three Canadians have been rescued at sea after a storm left their sailboat without power or sails 700 kilometres off the coast of Mexico.
Edmonton brothers Mitch and Bradley James, and Bradley’s nine-year-ancient son Wesley, were travelling from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, to Hilo, Hawaii, when they ran into distress.
The three were saved by a container ship that happened to be in the area and are expected to arrive in Honolulu, Hawaii, at around 4 a.m. local time Thursday.
The 893-foot container ship, owned by Horizon Lines, responded to a call from the U.S. Coast Guard on Wednesday to help the crew of the 10-metre sailboat in the predawn hours, a release from the U.S. company said.
Weather conditions were poor at the time, with winds gusting to 40 knots and sea swells in the six-metre range.
The rescued Canadians are reported to be in excellent health and spirits, but they will medically evaluated when they arrive in Honolulu.
“We are thankful the Horizon Reliance was in the right place at the right time to come to the aid of these individuals,” said William A. Hamlin, Horizon Lines senior vice-president of operations, in a release. “We commend Captain [James] Kelleher and his crew for their skilled seamanship in accomplishing a successful rescue despite very adverse weather conditions.”
