Damaged Arctic fishing vessel F/V Saputi arrives in Greenland - Action News
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Damaged Arctic fishing vessel F/V Saputi arrives in Greenland

A damaged fishing vessel that struck ice Sunday night arrived in Nuuk late Tuesday after a delay due to rough seas.

All 30 crew members safe on land

The F/V Saputi in Nuuk, Greenland. (Ludvig Siegstad)

The crew of a fishing vessel damaged after strikingice Sunday night are now safe on land in Greenland, according to Canadian Forces Joint Rescue CoordinationCentre in Halifax.

The F/V Saputi was fishing for turbot in the Davis Strait when it ran into ice around 10 p.m. ET Sunday night andbegan taking on water. All 30 crew members on board seven of which are from Nunavutare safe, but the ship may have lost about $1 million in catch and sustained at least $1 million in damage.

The Saputi was expectedin Nuuk Monday night, but rough waters delayed the arrival by more thana day.

The F/V Saputi at post in Nuuk, Greenland, before the incident. (Ludvig Siegstad)

The Saputi wasescorted to Nuuk by a Danish Coast Guard ship. Harry Flaherty, president and CEO of the Qikiqtaaluk Fisheries Corporation, had saidthat four crew members weretransferred to the Danish ship, while 26 remained on board the fishing vessel en route to Greenland.

The Canadian Forces'Joint Task Force Atlantic also provided support to the Saputi by dispatching a Hercules aircraft, which dropped off four extra pumps to remove water from the vessel.

Another Hercules monitored the Saputi during its trip to Greenland.

The damaged F/V Saputi in port in Nuuk. The photo was taken by Jonathon Larkham of Port Hope Simpson, Labrador, one of the crew members. (Submitted by Jonathon Larkham)

'It's an uncomfortable situation'

Flaherty said plans will be made to return the crewhome, adding that they are considering chartering them back to Canada.

"For the vessel itself, it will have to be inspected closely before any decision is madewhether to continue over to Iceland, or Poland, where it needs to be repaired."