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That Others May Live

Sep 9, 2004 11: 58 EST
Rowing an ocean is a tough job. Ocean rowers suffer some lousy statistics. Only in the past months, a mere 1 out of 5 row boats have reached their goal. 3 have capsized and one is still out there. The guys are not mad. They are just chosen to demonstrate the power of courage - to a western world sheltered in times of peace.

Most often the bravehearts get to survive only with thanks to others - the rescuers. Theirs is the job to save the pioneers. Often, with their own life at stake. Here goes the rescue report by pilot of Canadian Forces Search & Rescue Cormorant helicopter, Rescue 908. The pilot describes the rescue mission of September 2nd 2004 (the "Robinson Crusoe" rower Emmanuel Coindre).

That others may live

"One particular question I would ask is, do you guys think what you do is dangerous and do you worry when you are on a mission?" - asked Kenneth F.Crutchlow (head of the Ocean Rowing Society):

"Do we think our job is dangerous? Sometimes, yes, the mission out to Andreas was calculated and a good risk assessment was done, we were not afraid but in awe of how far we were out. It is very unusual for us to be out of site of land for such a long time, basically from the time we headed back from the Bulk Carrier we had four hours before we saw land. We sometimes get very close to pitching vessels, like yesterday on the fishing vessel we came within inches of hitting the antennae with our blades, as it was our primary hoist cable wrapped around the "a: frame of the boat and was damaged.

Yes we worry about the potential of injury and the difficulty of hoisting to a boat as we fly out, but that doesn't take up much of our thoughts as we have to do the job and concentrate on getting the SAR Techs safely on and safely off and recovering our patient.

The description is as follows:

"10:30 Z - JRCCHalifax called about feasibility of heading out to 243 east of Hibernia for a foundering rower.

10:31 - My response, "If he is in the water ....maybe other wise, no"

Sometime around 10:45 z - he is in the water and/or the boat is sinking. We felt that now the fella needs us and the weather supports the chances of us getting there.

10:50 - briefed crew and said "we are heading out farther than normal, holding three fuel alternates (rigs), if the weather drops below 500' on the rig and winds increase past 40 kts we don't go, if anyone has any misgivings we stay, no questions. The boys and I decide to go.

10:59 - weather is improving, check all the landable rigs for fuel (at least two other plus a vessel (Terra Nova) and Hibernia.

11:01Z- Tasked by JRCC Halifax

11:25Z - Airborne to YYT(st John's) to drop all gear and get gas

12:55Z - off yyt for Hibernia

Off Hibernia no comms for 1.5 hrs or so...scary...when Sam Bruce (Hercules Rescue 323) answers on company frequency, and he gives me weather that still looks good we feel much better...

Just as we approach the vessel at 16:15Z a large tanker has him alongside, some large doubt if the pick up will work. Pick up works, we stay until Rommel is safe on board then at16:20 we are heading to Hibernia.

The next 2.5 Hrs was spent getting back to Hibernia. When she comes up on radar then visual, she looks good!

2050Z - back at yyt

22:50 - back at yqx

Eight hours out of site of land in a helo

140 back rom Hibernia we decide to punch the one engine out numbers for range for YYT. Can't make it on three or two engines...we knew that anyway it was just to see how far off we were.

Risk assessment:

Wx improving dramatically throughout mission.

More than one rig for gas on way home.

Only way we couldn't get gas is if the deck was fouled, or bad gas. Odds of all rigs having one of these, pretty slim.

Winds were our only other concern and they were strong, 37 to 40+ from sfc to 3000 where we were for awhile.

We flew home at 150' and got 17 kt head wind. We planned for 37 kts.

We felt that even with the big bulk carrier getting on scene at the same time as us, we needed to be there as they may not have been able to get him as the sea state was 5+ and they only had nets.

I have to say though, when we turned around to go to land, it was 424 NM away into a headwind, four hours to land from our farthest point."

Cheers
Wayne.

Sep 2, 2004 Coast Guard Officer Wendall Sprerry of RCC Halifax received a signal from the EPIRB of Andreas Romell and CLS Argos reported that the Argos beacon on board the oceanrowboat of Andreas has been activated. 11.00 am a plane spotted Andreas and a ship 60 miles away was diverted and progressed with ALL HASTE to the scene. Next, Andreas was safe onboard Federal Elba, a Bulk carrier under Cyprus flag, headed to Europe.

Last call we from Andreas was pretty desperate: "I feel like I’m turning into Robinson Crusoe in the middle of the ocean," he said.

The boat was capsizing and didn't right itself as fast anymore. Andreas survival suit and beacon were ready. The boat was lower down on the water, extremely heavy. The center of the boat was full of water, as well as all the compartments on deck. Andreas took two hours to empty the water out, but the electrical wiring was also submerged under water and Andreas suspected a hole in the boat. "After searching for the problem, I realized that the outside compartments are connected to the inside ones. This doesn’t make them watertight anymore…"

Andreas Rommel planned to become the first German in history to row Atlantic W-E from Cape Cod (USA) to UK. Andreas was last out of the North Atlantic rowers.

Images of Andreas rescue, courtesy of the crew of MV Federal Elbe and the Ocean Rowing Society.

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