An orange 20 man liferaft had already been lowered over the stern of the fishing vessel, and crew could be seen throwing items into it and finally themselves climbing and jumping into it.
Fortunately it was daylight, but the sea at that time was quite lumpy with a wind of about 20 knots building up waves even higher.
Captain Halle Thor Gunderson of the Prinsendam had already contacted Madeira Search and Rescue Centre, which had dispatched a helicopter to the scene to pick up survivors. Only 120 nautical miles from Madeira, it should not take long before it would arrive.Two other ships, freighters, stood by as well - one being the Panamanian Star, the other unidentified. Prinsendam was securing radio clearance to allow it to board the shipwrecked crew and transfer it from our cruise ship to the helicopter, which was making its way to the ship.
The crew of the fishing trawler had cut their survival raft loose and drifted quickly away from their sinking boat. Between the maneuver by the Cruise ship Captain to re-position the ship closer to the drifting raft for a pick up, and the survivors inside the life raft paddling, the two vessels were soon touching at the leeside of the larger ship. Quite a delicate affair.Survivors transferred through a lower hatch in the side of the hull into the passenger ship. They must have had time to pack some of their personal belongings as their sky blue sea bags made it aboard Prinsendam as well, before the liferaft was set adrift to join the sinking fishing vessel out on the open sea. The clatter of a helicopter could already be heard and within a few minutes the aircraft zoomed overhead.Helicopter rescue operations preparations were already underway aboard ship, upper decks cleared of passengers, loose items secured, fire and emergency crews ready with their gear on decks, mid ship swimming pool empty.The ship took up position, but steamed ahead slowly to minimize hull movements caused by wind and swell.Some intricate and skillful maneuvring brought ship and copter into rescue distance, meaning the copter hovered over the port mid ship section not too many feet above superstructure, antennas and stacks.The Ship kept way on to keep stable. It also felt as if was heeling somewhat more than normal to port (maybe waterballast was pumped out to achieve that angle...my guesswork only). I stood at the promenade deck, camera at the ready. I had just moved a few steps, when an impressive waterfall fell from the upper decks and soaked several onlookers who happen to be in my previous location on the lower deck. The rear swimming pool had swished over with the additional heel and dumped a few thousand gallons of water first on the lower decks and then over board.
The main rescue operator of the helicopter crew descended eight times to Prinsendam's decks to pick up each of the eight Portuguese sailors. After all of them were hoisted successfully aboard the helicopter, a rescue basket was lowered - TWICE. Why indeed? To pick up the sea bags, which the sailors were able to remove from their sinking vessel before abandoning it. Service...eh?By 11:00 the entire operation was over, the fishermen on their way back to Madeira, and the Prinsendam back on course to Spain. Orange life raft had quickly disappeared from sight, afloat probably for many days or months to come, the sinking vessel had not sank noticeable more...but sometimes that kind of thing takes a slow start and a quick end. Madeira Coast Guard will investigate. It seemed to be rather a rust bucket...Sea still lumpy, winds increasing...if it stays as rough as this, we may have to skip the next port of call, Portimao in Portugal. We are scheduled to dock alongside a wharf in the local navigable river, which apparently is not that navigable or anchorable during inclement sea and wind conditions. So, here goes...Madeira and the rest of it later!
Portuguese Fishing trawler - sinking - with liferaft tied to stern.
Crew climbing into liferaft...
Liferaft drifting away from trawler...
Crew inside the life raft - 8 Portuguese fishermen, and their sea-duffel bags.
Now vacant life raft drifting off on wind and current, with one of the freighters standing by in the background. The orange coloured raft is slowly becoming invisible.
