ARC Skipper Aids Rescue Of Illegal Immigrants
November 30, 2006 by World Cruising | 0 comments
With so many illegal immigrants leaving the west coast of Africa to find a better life in the Canary Islands it was perhaps inevitable that, despite the large waterborne frontier operation currently underway to stem the tide heading to the Canary Is
Nick Lewis – Flying Start – aids Spanish authorities in early morning rescue mission
With so many illegal immigrants leaving the west coast of Africa to find a better life in the Canary Islands it was perhaps inevitable that, despite the large waterborne frontier operation currently underway to stem the tide heading to the Canary Islands an ARC participant would at some point see some immigrants at sea. However, to run across such a craft some 400 miles south west of the Canary Islands, and 200 miles off the coast of Africa, was a little unexpected for the crew of ARC yacht Flying Start.
Yesterday afternoon (Wednesday, 29 November) Nick Lewis, skipper of the Moody 38 Flying Start, telephoned the World Cruising Club office in Cowes to report that he had come across a small craft with about 15 people on board whom he suspected were immigrants. After consultation with the MRCC (Marine Rescue & Coordination Centre) in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Flying Start was requested to remain with the craft whilst a ship was sent to help rescue the immigrants.
Nick headed back a short distance to the position of the small craft relocating it again with the help of the Spanish Air Force, where the yacht remained on station to identify the craft to the ship when it arrived.
The hospital ship, the Esperansa del Mar, arrived on the scene at 0430 today (Thursday, 30th November), and successfully rescued the immigrants from their small craft. It was discovered that of the 34 that had initially been on board, only 15 remained, one of whom had recently died.
With the rescue complete, Flying Start was stood-down by the hospital ship at 0630, and rejoined the ARC at approximately 0830 when they reached the position they had been when asked to standby by the Spanish rescue authorities.
Commenting on the rescue, Nick Lewis, a retired solicitor from Bridgend, in South Wales said: “We did the right thing by the Spanish rescue authorities. It’s been a long hard night and we are now just pleased to have rejoined the ARC and be on our way again towards St.Lucia”.
