23 Feb 2009

Trawler crew rescued off Newfoundland

10:37 am on 23 February 2009

The Canadian Coast Guard has rescued 22 Spanish fishermen from a sinking trawler on fire off the coast of Newfoundland.

A rescue coordination centre in Halifax said the crew of the Monte Galineiro abandoned ship into rafts about 400km east of St John's.

A coast guard vessel heard the trawler's distress call.

One man was airlifted by helicopter to a hospital in St John's and the others were expected to be brought ashore on Monday.