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Teekay Vessel Rescues Two Row Boat Crews Capsized in mid-Atlantic

Twice in three weeks, the captain and crew of the Teekay vessel, Hispania Spirit, came to the rescue of rowers whose 7-meter boats capsized in heavy seas during a 3,000-mile trans-Atlantic race.

While en route to Spain, on January 8, the ship’s crew plucked two Irish rowers from the sea after a huge wave overturned their boat. The two men had managed to scramble into a life raft, but could only watch as their boat was destroyed.

After depositing the Irish rowers safely on land in Cartegena, Spain, the Hispania Spirit was en route to Trinidad when a second distress alert was received on January 24. Two British rowers from the same race had capsized and were in a life raft. The Hispania Spirit was closest to the scene and once again on course to attend to the rescue.

Both search and rescue operations took place at night in high winds and three to five metre seas, resulting in two separate, yet equally vigilant operations to bring the men safely on board the Hispania Spirit, where they were treated by the ship’s medical officer and cared for by the crew before disembarking in Spain and Trinidad.

Referencing the rescue of the Irish rowers, U.S. Coast Guard Search and Rescue Controller Matthew Brooks, quoted in the Irish Examiner, said: “It was nasty out there. If no one was around to respond, it would have been a life-threatening situation.”

According to newspaper reports, Ciaran Lewis, 34, and Gearoid Towey, 28, were suddenly thrown into the ocean when a wave capsized their boat, 40 days and 1,700 miles into the 2,931 mile Atlantic Challenge race from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean.


Captain Roque M. Enzunza stands with Irish rowers Ciaran Lewis (L) and Gearoid Towey (R). The two spent one week aboard the Hispania Spirit after being rescued in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
“We were hit by what must have been a massive wave completely out of the blue, and then I was upside down in the water,” Lewis, a Dublin barrister, told reporters. He said the stern of the rowboat was ripped off, but the pair managed to untie their life raft and climb into it.

In a statement to the Irish Times, the rescued pair credited Captain Roque M. Enzunza and his crew “with basically saving our lives.” As a token of gratitude, Lewis and Towey presented the Captain with a painting of the two oarsmen in action and some Irish whiskey.

“In both cases, the appreciation from the survivors was fantastic,” commented Captain Enzunza. “I will never forget their words, also the gratitude of the father, sister and brother of one of the survivors when they disembarked in Cartagena.”

Bjorn Moller, President and Chief Executive Officer, Teekay Shipping, said the company and all its employees are proud and grateful for the rapid response of the Hispania Spirit’s crew.

“To successfully perform rescues at night under appalling weather conditions is a tribute to the courage and dedication of all aboard and we join the families of those who were saved in expressing our appreciation to them.”

Published 14 Mar 2006

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