Coast Guard/RCAF rescue assets tasked to assist container ship adrift off South West coast of Haida Gwaii

Approximate position fix for the MOL Containership Prestige
currently adrift Southwest of HaidaGwaii

A helicopter and fixed wing aircraft from 442 Squadron out of Comox and the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Sir Wilfrid Laurier have all been dispatched to action in response to an ongoing marine incident in waters off the Southwest coast of Haida Gwaii.

The Joint Rescue Centre in Victoria received notice of a marine emergency late Wednesday evening, with the Singapore flagged container ship MOL Prestige reporting an engine fire, which disabled the ship and resulted in injuries to five crew members on board.

In response, the helicopter from Comox has been sent to medevac two of the injured crew members,  a CC 115 Buffalo aircraft is also observing the ongoing situation and providing assistance

The CCGS Wilfrid Laurier is expected to be on station by midnight to lend assistance as well.

While the area the ship is located in is currently in the midst of a Gale Warning, the Joint Rescue Centre does not believe that the vessel is in danger of running aground, owing to the distance off the shore that it is located  some 210 nautical miles to the southwest of Haida Gwaii.

(Update: Gale Warning has ended for area in question)

The last reported location for the MOL Prestige has it in an
area that was under a Gale Warning from Environment Canada

A tug from Washington State has also been dispatched, a journey that could take up to 48 hours depending on weather conditions, once it arrives it will secure the vessel and return it to a still to be determined port.

The Prestige, wth a crew of 23 is vessel that is part of the Mitsui Container Line and has a regular route of service between Vancouver and Asian Ports.

Background on the vessel is available from the MarineTraffic.com website.


Updates and notes on the situation can be reviewed below:



February 1

Rescue Crews sent to container ship adrift near B.C. coast
Container Ship adrift off B.C. coast following fire
Container Ship Adrift off BC coast


More items of interest related to Northwest emergency response can be found here.


Cross posted from the North Coast Review