IQALUIT
It was just a matter of what came first -- making it to dry land or the bottom of the ocean.

The FV Saputi lists hard to its port side after an iceberg blew a hole in its cargo hull. The boat managed to limp to port in Nuuk, Greenland, thanks to co-ordinated efforts by rescue teams. - photo courtesy of Joint Task Force Atlantic

After hitting an iceberg during the night of Feb. 21, the Qikiqtaaluk Corporation's FV Saputi was in major trouble far out in the Atlantic ocean between Baffin Island and Greenland.

"It was taking in a lot of water in the cargo area," said Qikiqtaaluk president Harry Flaherty.

Thirty crew, seven from Nunavut, were on board the moment it happened.

Alarms sounded and immediately Joint Task Force Atlantic and the Canadian Coast Guard, Danish Coast Guard and other joint rescue co-ordination centres were combining resources to rescue the vessel.

Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Halifax diverted a Hercules aircraft to the distressed vessel, while a Coast Guard ship from Canada and another from Denmark followed.

The FV Saputi had such a large hole that its pumping and bilge systems were not able to keep up with the inflow of water. The boat was rapidly sinking.

"Those systems were overloaded," said Capt. Cameron Hillier of the rescue centre. "That is to say, the water coming in was greater than the water coming out."

In stormy conditions and what looked like a scene out of a movie, a rescue team in a Hercules aircraft passed over the distressed vessel multiple times trying to judge its movement and how best to parachute equipment down to the ship.

Finally, crew members on the Hercules parachuted four new pumps down to the vessel, landing the package just in the water next to the FV Saputi - a perfect landing.

Those pumps allowed the vessel to stabilize and keep as much water going out as was coming in.

The ship's crew, captained by Wayne Mansfield, made the decision then to attempt to drive it to port in Nuuk, Greenland, about 200 nautical miles away.

To make matters worse, a storm picked up with 100 km/h winds and huge swells, putting severe strain on the vessel. The FV Saputi had to slow to three knots per hour from nine, limping its way through the broiling water.

Although the new pumps were able to manage water intake and output while the vessel was stationary, they weren't able to keep up with the water pouring in while it was moving.

"The problem was as the ship started proceeding to shore and started moving through water, you're actually creating greater force on the hull of the ship and you're thrusting water into the hull," said Hillier. "At that point you no longer have an equilibrium and the ship is literally sinking as it's coming ashore."

Escorted by a Danish coast guard ship, whose crew were ready to take on the FV Saputi's crew should an abandon-ship alert come, the Saputi was in a painstakingly slow race against time and water.

"As they proceeded closer to shore, the situation got worse and worse," said Hillier. "It was just a matter of time really what came first - the bottom of the ocean or the port, and thankfully it was the port."

On the evening of Feb. 24, three days after the ordeal began, the ship docked safely in Nuuk, Greenland, listing hard to one side.

"Hats off to the crew," said Hillier. "No doubt they were in a tough fight the entire time. I know for our guys it was an intense situation."

Flaherty explained that the high-class design of the vessel meant that the cargo area was separated from other areas of the ship, so the engine and motor were unaffected and the hole from the iceberg did not penetrate the entirety of the vessel.

He was thankful for the co-ordination between rescuers and their hard work to make sure his ship and crew made it to shore safety with no injuries.

"We thank them all for the hard work and dedication to get the Saputi to port under such harsh conditions," Flaherty said.

"(The four pumps were) critical for the vessel to be able to make it to its destination. If it wasn't for that, I don't think the Saputi would have made it to port."

The ship lost all 200 tonnes of its turbot catch and 100 tonnes of shrimp, but Flaherty said insurance should cover the loss. He's investigating the full damage to the ship now and estimates repairs will exceed $1 million.

Despite the harrowing ordeal, he hopes to get the now-grizzled FV Saputi back on the water and back to work for springtime fishing.