Rescue from the death boats

The crew of CS Caprice will forever remember the 22 October 2014

The crew of CS Caprice will forever remember the 22 October 2014. Carrying a cargo of bulk barley from Liepaja, Latvia and heading to her destination via the Suez Canal, the vessel received a distress signal through SAT-C from Malta RCC. A boat carrying 400 to 500 people was at risk in increasingly rough seas, Beaufort scale 8/9, at position 34 35 N/ 020 05 E.

After verifying the authenticity of the message that it wasnt a pirate plot the CS Capricechanged course. In the meantime the ships Master, Captain Joshua Bhatt, contacted the ships owner Campbell Shipping. The management made it very clear that lives had to be saved. Their attitude was clear and concise. The owners gave full back up to go ahead with the rescue operation. They never even gave it a second thought. This positive support and the attitude of the crew became the driving force of the ship and the urge to save lives became its motto.

In Captain Bhatts own words, we started manoeuvring our vessel so as to have the boat on our starboard i.e. the leeward side of the boat keeping safe distance. The wind was pushing the boat towards us but was heading towards the propeller. The only way to make it to the parallel body was to give a kick astern. We did it and we had the boat abreast No 5 hatch starboard side alongside. Our crew and officers were geared up with protective clothing as a preventive measure to Ebola. And moreover the weather was getting choppy and the embarkation through the gangway could cause a fatal accident. The boat was made fast with ships line fore and aft and our crew commenced embarkation of the people in distress.”

“Firstly the crew helped to get women and children on board. They had to use their full strength to literally lift them from the sinking boat as it was not easy for them to climb the pilot ladder About ten of the women were pregnant and a few mothers had infants in their arms. In all it took two hours to safely embark all the people on board CS Caprice.The crew, though exhausted and drenched, never complained and were happy to serve. The cook was ready with hot tea and the steward with milk packets for the babies and children.“

“We were all incredibly lucky and God was merciful,” said Captain Bhatt. “As soon as the last person was rescued the sea became ferocious, with water shipping all over the starboard side. We informed the Malta RCC that the mission had been accomplished and 510 people taken on board without any injuries.“

In a heartfelt statement Captain Bhatt said, “We learnt and experienced that unity is strength! Without team work, we would not have been able to accomplish this enormous task.“

CS Capricefinally berthed in Augusta, Italy on 25 Oct 2014 at 0000hrs. The whole operation took almost 60 hours.

Source and Image Credit: BMA News