Canadian, Greenland rescue agencies help distressed fishing vessel

The Saputi in 2012, shortly after the Qikiqtaaluk Corp., its owner, had completed a $4-million retrofit. The vessel, which is used to trawl for shrimp and turbot, received four extra pumps Feb. 22 after the vessel started taking on water. (FILE PHOTO)

(Updated 4:30 p.m., Feb. 22)

The Qikiqtaaluk Fisheries Corp. vessel F/V Saputi and her crew of 30 headed to Nuuk, Greenland, under escort from the Danish naval patrol vessel Knud Rasmussen, after broadcasting a distress signal at around 9 a.m. Feb. 22 that the ship was taking on water.

Canadian and Greenland search and rescue agencies began assisting the Saputi when it lay about 280 nautical miles from Iqaluit in Davis Strait.

Update: #JRCCHalifax confirms Danish Warship Knud Rasmussen is on scene providing support to F/V in distress 150NM of coast of Nuuk, GL

— JTF Atlantic (@JTFAtlantic) February 22, 2016

The Saputi, a 75-metre, Norwegian-built factory-freezer trawler, is owned by the Qikiqtaaluk Fisheries Corp., a subsidiary of the Qikiqtaaluk Corp.

According to tweets from the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax, crew members from the Knud Rasmussen placed two technicians aboard the Saputi along with four water pumps.

And then the JRCC Halifax and JRCC Greenland co-ordinated the delivery of the four pumps.

The crew later confirmed that the pumps were working, JRCC Halifax said.

#JRCCHalifax #JRCCGreenland have coordinated delivery of 4 pumps to F/V in distress & crew have confirmed that pumps are working @CBCNorth

— JTF Atlantic (@JTFAtlantic) February 22, 2016

A C-130 Hercules and the Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker, the Louis St. Laurent, remained at the scene, the JRCC said.

The Saputi crewmembers’ families were notified of the situation, the JRCC said.