Latest news with #EugeneCarter
CBC
6 days ago
- General
- CBC
Captain of the 'Lucky 7' missing fish harvesters reflects on homecoming, one year later
One year after he made his triumphant return from two days spent missing at sea, Eugene Carter of New-Wes-Valley still looks forward to being on the water. Carter was the captain of The Elite Navigator when the fishing vessel caught fire. So far away from the shore, abandoning ship was the only option. The crew, now known as the "Lucky Seven," would soon spend 52 hours floating in a life raft. Families and friends back home prepared for a funeral. They had no contact with the rest of the world, and two of the men couldn't swim. Against all odds, each and every one of them made it back. It was a Saturday when the seven fishermen were rescued about 270 kilometres away from shore on July 20, 2024. "It [does flash] in my mind in and out a little bit, but it's all positive … knowing that we're all here one year later to talk about it," Carter told CBC News on Monday. He said that so many things could have gone wrong during those days at sea, that these days he's "just thinking positive and thinking ahead." WATCH | Eugene Carter looks back on the rescue, one year later: 'Always in the back of my mind': Looking back at the rescue of the Lucky 7, one year later 4 minutes ago One year ago, the community of New-Wes-Valley was celebrating an incredible survival story. A crew of fishermen, now known as the Lucky Seven, spent 50 hours adrift in a life raft over 200 kilometres from land, and were rescued in a rare positive outcome in a province with a history of tragedies at sea. Eugene Carter was captain of the Elite Navigator vessel, and spoke about it all with Here and Now's Carolyn Stokes. Carter is still fishing — in fact, he says every crew member except one has been back on the water since the incident. Almost every one of the seven has a matching tattoo now, too. All except for Carter. "I don't actually have mine yet because at the time they went and got their tattoos … I had to go fishing," he said. Carter says everything that happened to him was a blur when he came home, trying to process it all. The captain says he's lucky that he wasn't overly traumatized from being lost at sea, but he still double-checks everything when he ventures out on a boat. "I guess you're always making sure your T's are crossed," said Carter. A plaque dedicated to the Lucky Seven will soon be installed in New-Wes-Valley, but a date hasn't been decided yet.
CBC
6 days ago
- General
- CBC
‘Always in the back of my mind': Looking back at the rescue of the Lucky 7, one year later
One year ago, the community of New-Wes-Valley was celebrating an incredible survival story. A crew of fishermen, now known as the Lucky Seven, spent 50 hours adrift in a life raft over 200 kilometres from land, and were rescued in a rare positive outcome in a province with a history of tragedies at sea. Eugene Carter was captain of the Elite Navigator vessel, and spoke about it all with Here and Now's Carolyn Stokes.
Winnipeg Free Press
01-05-2025
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
Plaque to mark safe return of ‘Lucky 7' Newfoundland fishers after days adrift at sea
ST. JOHN'S – The Newfoundland and Labrador government is installing a bronze plaque to commemorate the safe return of seven fishermen who survived days at sea in a life-raft after their vessel went down in flames last year. A news release says the plaque in New-Wes-Valley, N.L., will serve as a reminder of their resilience and strength, and of the risks fish harvesters take to make a living for their families. The so-called Lucky 7 fishermen were about 250 kilometres away from shore when a fire ignited on their boat — the Elite Navigator — on the night of July 17, 2024. The men were forced to jump from the burning boat and swim to a life-raft, on which they spent the next 50 hours at the mercy of the waves. The disappearance of the crew gripped the province, where tragedy at sea is all too common. But searchers spotted the light from captain Eugene Carter's last flare, and the fishers were returned home to New-Wes-Valley, where residents held a massive parade in their honour. During Elections Get campaign news, insight, analysis and commentary delivered to your inbox during Canada's 2025 election. A Transportation Safety Board report in March commended the crew for their safety practices, training and skill. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 1, 2025.
CBC
12-03-2025
- General
- CBC
Elite Navigator carried more safety equipment than required, writes TSB in investigation report
It's impossible to know what caused the fire on the Elite Navigator in July 2024, as the fishing vessel was never recovered. But nearly seven months later, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada's (TSB) investigation reveals what happened in the vessel's final moments. According to the TSB report released on Wednesday, light smoke was visible in the engine room soon after a smoke alarm sounded at 7:30 p.m. NT. "A crew member in the deckhouse yelled that there was a fire in the exhaust trunking." The crew sprung to action and shut off the vessel's engine, removed the exhaust trunking vent from the back of the deckhouse and attempted to fight the fire with extinguishers. Those attempts were not successful. The report says the crew of the Elite Navigator were highly skilled in distress communications, even carrying devices not required by regulation like satellite communication devices and cell phones. It was that preparedness that led the vessel's captain, Eugene Carter, to send a distress signal and get his crew into a life raft. The Elite Navigator and its crew was already overdue, with its fishing quota met. It was about 130 nautical miles east-northeast of Fogo Island by the evening of July 17. Carter sent distress calls from the vessel's radios and radiotelephone, but was too far away to reach marine communications and traffic services. There was no indication the calls reached other vessels. Its emergency position-indicating radio beacon did not set a signal, which the TSB says is likely due to fire damage. Almost seven hours later, the Elite Navigator was burned beyond repair and sank into the sea. After more than 50 hours in a life raft, the crew set off their last flare at the sight of a helicopter. All seven men, now known as the "Lucky Seven," were saved. The TSB report states that the board often finds evidence of weak safety cultures, but the Elite Navigator was an exception. "The vessel carried more safety equipment than was required by regulation," reads the report. "The master and crew members were in the practice of talking through emergency scenarios and responses."
