Ship’s Crew Saved by British Navy Copters
Two British navy helicopter crews braved snow, rain and 70 m.p.h. winds Sunday to rescue all 28 men aboard a freighter that was wallowing helplessly in mountainous seas off south Ireland.
One helicopter crewman, descending to the pitching deck on a winch line, broke his hand and injured a shoulder when the vessel slammed into him, but he continued his rescue efforts. Other injuries, less severe, were reported.
The two Sea King helicopters flew to the site from Wales to help the Kowloon Bridge, a fully laden iron ore carrier that had lost its rudder and was taking on water rapidly, according to the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Swansea, Wales.
A maritime official said the 54,500-ton, Hong-Kong-registered Kowloon Bridge was drifting about 20 miles from Fastnet Rock when the helicopters arrived in early morning darkness.
The rescue team took just 40 minutes to haul up the crew of Indians and Turks two at a time in a rescue harness, a rescuer said.
The ship was reported still afloat, with salvage vessels en route to secure it.
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