Canadian Armed Forces’ vessel High Order rescued a sailboat that had drifted onto a rocky shoal in Mahone Bay August 10. The four-person crew from 14 Air Maintenance Squadron (14 AMS) ’s Explosive Disposal Flight (EDF) were just wrapping up a reconnaissance mission for an upcoming exercise, SALINE SWEEP, when they heard the urgent broadcast, requesting immediate assistance to the sailboat, which had run aground approximately five kilometres away. The crew was not in immediate danger, but winds blowing them onto the rocky shoal were picking up.
High Order didn’t hesitate.
“We responded right away,” said EDF deputy commander Sergeant Ryan Doyle. “We hit the lights and the sirens and drove across the bay.”
Their rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) arrived on scene just minutes after the emergency call. After confirming there were no injuries onboard the trapped vessel, the crew assessed the situation to determine the safest way to assist. With help from the Mahone Bay Inshore Response Boat (IRB), which arrived moments later, High Order’s crew safely pulled the sailboat off the rocks.
“We tied off some lines to the boat to stabilize it,” said Doyle. “One tied off to the front, one tied off to the mast. And then we pulled to the side to tip the boat while the IRB pulled forward.”
Once the sailboat was dislodged from the shoal, both crews were able to tow the vessel to safety. With no signs of damage or pollution, the sailboat – and its relieved crew – were escorted to the Chester Yacht Club by the Mahone Bay IRB.
Doyle credits the EDF team’s success to support they’ve received from 14 Wing Greenwood in obtaining training and equipment for their marine explosive ordinance disposal capabilities: prior to operating the RHIB High Order, the crew completed a fast rescue boat program, learning the very skills they put to use during the sailboat’s rescue.
While search and rescue is not a typical task for 14 AMS’ EDF team, Doyle said CAF members have a duty to act when called to do so, and the event “reinforces the fact that we can all answer the call here on the wing. With the proper training and equipment, we can pretty much achieve anything.
“And, we had a great crew that day. We were all prepared.”
