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Rescue crews responding to fire, emergency, on Canadian fishing vessel off N.S. coast

HALIFAX — The Canadian military says aircraft and ships have responded to an emergency aboard a Canadian fishing vessel that has been damaged by fire off of the coast of Nova Scotia. 

The Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Halifax says the FV Atlantic Destiny is a scallop freezer factory ship with 32 people on board and there are no reports of injuries. 

The ship has lost power and is adrift about 120 nautical miles south of Yarmouth, N.S., in heavy seas. 

Lt.-Cmdr. Brian Owens said a CH-149 Cormorant search and rescue helicopter has started removing some of the crew members from the ship. 

"It has started extracting non-essential crew from the Atlantic Destiny and will be transporting them to Yarmouth, N.S.," Owens said in an interview Tuesday night.

"The U.S. Coast Guard has a helicopter on scene and once our helicopter clears the area will extract the remaining personnel." 

Owens said a small number of the crew will remain on board to manage the vessel. 

He said the fire is out but the ship was taking on water and the crew have put on their immersion survival suits.

Owens said the rescue centre received a call from the master of the ship at around 8 p.m. reporting a fire on board, a loss of power and that it was adrift.

The ship reported eight-metre waves and 55-knot winds.

Owens said a CC-130 Hercules aircraft was tracking the vessel and a Canadian Coast Guard ship was en route to the location.

Another fishing vessel, the FV Lahave, was nearby. 

Owens said the families of the crew members have been contacted by the company that owns the vessel and was giving them updates. 

The FV Atlantic Destiny's home port is Riverport, N.S.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 2, 2021. 

The Canadian Press


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