In 35 years spent at sea, Stéphane Dunn did not have to lead a rescue operation until Monday night. His crew found themselves in the exact right place at the right time to save the lives of four fishermen from Miscou who were stuck in rough seas as their boat sank to the bottom.
Around 8:30 pm Monday.
Stéphane Dunn was aboard his boat, Pointe de l’Est, with his son Marc-Antoine Dunn and fishermen Johnny Dumaresque and Tony Preston. The crew was carrying 35 crab pots that had to be moved due to the presence of the North Atlantic right whale.
Bad weather; 25-knot winds and two-meter-high waves shook the boat. In cages on board, this is not the funsummary of the captain.
” And then we heard a day of May, but specifically, fast. He doesn’t give positions, we just hear: ”mayday! day of May! ” in panic. I said “tabarouette, something is going on”. “
With the help of the Canadian Coast Guard, the captain was finally able to notice the boat’s positions in distress and realized that it was very close, about 5 or 6 nautical miles away.
Using binoculars, we saw a very small point. So we set off on the gas below, as they say! We don’t let go of maneuvering, hands on the steering wheel, eyes focused on point and emotion on the carpet. But the boat is not like a car, it does not go in a straight line, it is zigzag. We were able to turn arms to rotate from one side to the othersaid Stéphane Dunn.
When they come close to the indicated position, the point they follow with their eyes disappears. Then, the fishermen found it: underwater.
Fortunately, when he turned around, Stéphane Dunn saw the lifeboat and aboard, four fishermen soaked, but alive.
However, it was too early to rejoice, the rescue operation had just begun.
It’s almost more annoying when you’re about to board, you’re always scared that someone will fall into the water.explanation of the captain. The canoe hits the side of the boat, you hold the boat … it definitely always happens when it’s windy, huh!
It takes 45 minutes to catch four fishermen to Pointe de l’Est. The crew lent them dry clothes and continued their journey to the port of Grande-Rivière, which they reached around 1:40 am Tuesday morning. Relatives of the survivors came to pick them up to take them home to New Brunswick.
I kind of talked to them on Tuesday morning, they were ok, they were still shocked, but they were happy living.said Stéphane Dunn.
For his part, the Gaspé captain said he was deeply touched by the greetings he had received since the rescue.
” When I read this, my eyes narrowed but I did what I had to do. Pretty exciting when you hear the day of May and you must go on the scene. We’re still on the adrenaline, even my guys, they still talk about it, say to me: “bravo captain”, but I say: “bravo to you!” “
As for the next Pointe de l’Est cruise, it will have to wait a bit. We have too many emotions, we relax at home and take a good bathlaunched Stéphane Dunn.
Source: Radio-Canada
