F/V Saputi crew arrives in Iqaluit after Arctic fishing vessel damaged

People have gatheredat the Iqaluit airport to welcome crew members from the F/V Saputi, after a harrowing ordeal at sea that ended with the damaged vessel in port in Greenland.

The F/VSaputiwas fishing for turbot in the Davis Strait when it ran into ice Sunday night and began taking on water.

"We're still shaking," said Duane Taylor, who was on board theSaputi, as he arrived on the first flight Friday morning.

Other crew members, includingTodd Rumboltand Darren Hawkes, were at a loss for words.

The crew 30 people in all, including seven from Nunavuthad planned to get home earlier.

"We had some challenges finding a suitable charter due toavailability,and weather inNuukcaused threedays of delays," saidHarryFlaherty, president andCEO ofQikiqtaalukCorporation.

The first flight arrived around 9:30 ET, carrying crew members who don't live in Nunavut.

Local crew members arrived on a charter around 3:30 p.m.

Members of the public were invited to come and greet the fishermen at the airport.

The Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Halifax dispatched aC130Hercules aircraft from 413 squadron in Greenwood, N.S.,as well as theCCGSLouis St. Laurent icebreaker when theSaputibegan taking on water Sunday night.

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The crew of theHercules dropped four extra pumps and aircraft continued to monitor the ailing vesselwhile aDanish navyship escortedthe ship to Nuuk, arriving Tuesday night.