SLOMAN DISCHARGER

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Megan C saved crew of three of disabled sailing vessel

All three passengers aboard the US-flagged sailing ship "Melita" destined for Iceland were rescued on July 17, 2013, in the morning after it encountered heavy seas off the coast of Newfoundland. Marine Communications and Traffic Services St. John’s alerted Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre (JRCC) Halifax of the "Melita"’s predicament at 6:53 p.m. Newfoundland time on July 16. At that point, it was 435 nautical miles northeast of Gander and 400 nautical miles south of Greenland. JRCC Halifax deployed the Coast Guard vessel "Cygnus" shortly thereafter to begin a 350-nautical-mile journey to reach the "Melita". A Hercules aircraft from CFB Trenton was also dispatched within the hour. A vessel closer to the sailing ship, the "Megan C", was later identified, and JRCC Halifax requested its assistance at 8:19 p.m. The ship was 90 nautical miles from the "Melita". By 3 a.m., the Hercules arrived to assist the ship. Heavy seas prevented it from rescuing passengers at that time. The "Megan C" arrived on July 17 at 7 a.m. and immediately began to take two of the three passengers from the "Melita" on board. The third passenger was rescued within 30 minutes of the ship’s arrival. The "Megan C" was making its way further to Montreal after all were aboard and was expected to arrive there on July 22.