FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A family is thanking a sea captain for saving their loved ones on the open water.
The rescue happened off the coast of Portugal, but the reunion happened here in South Florida.
The family is grateful to the captain and crew of the Midas cargo ship. They were able to pull the men to safety after the group aboard a catamaran said they believe they may have hit something in the water, causing their boat to capsize.
The 50-foot catamaran turned over 150 miles off the coast of Portugal on Friday.
“They are in our family now because they saved the saved the life of my brother and two of his very good friends,” said Delphine Guillemot Kramer.
Unfortunately, one of the four people on board that catamaran lost his life.
The Midas was on its way to Fort Lauderdale when the captain, Timo Vaamanen, was told by Portuguese authority to divert and try to locate the capsized sailboat, four hours away, in rough waters.
“We couldn’t launch our man overboard boat, nor our lifeboat,” said Captain Vaamanen.
The three men were forced to wait overnight in freezing waters until the sea calmed.
The morning after, the captain moving in closer to the tiny orange life raft, using a line cannon to pull the men closer. Some, like experienced sailor and skipper Regis Guillemot Martinique, were suffering from hypothermia.
“They looked extremely tired,” said Midas Chief Engineer Kenneth Lindeman.
The family praised the captain for his selfless actions, while he gave credit to his crew for saving the three men.
“I am really happy that we managed to rescue these gentlemen,” said Captain Vaamanen. “That was a big thing for me.”
TAG - THE CREW ABOARD THAT CATAMARAN STILL DONT KNOW EXACTLY WHAT CAUSE THE BOAT TO CAPSIZE - BUT THEY BELIVE IT MAY HAVE BEEN A CONTAINER SIILAR TO THESEE THAT ARE KNOWN TO FALL OFF OF SHIPS AND FLOAT IN OPEN WATERS.