Canadian Tall Ship Fire Injures One

by Darcy Cheek, Brockville Recorder on 15 Jul 2007 An unidentified sea cadet aboard the tall ship Fair Jeanne was airlifted to Kingston Ontario following a fire in the ship's engine room on Friday afternoon.

Fair Jeanne owner Simon Fuller told The Recorder and Times on Friday evening the information he had received indicated the cadet was not seriously injured.

'There is no report of a serious injury as we understand it now,' said Fuller.

The male cadet was picked up about seven kilometres south of Amherst Island by a Canadian Forces rescue helicopter from CFB Trenton and flown back to Kingston.

Fuller said the Fair Jeanne was approximately 20 miles out of Kingston at around 4 p.m. when the ship broadcast a mayday about a fire in the ship's engine room.

'Canadian and U. S. coast guard and a number of area vessels responded as well as a helicopter,' said Fuller.

All personnel aboard the Fair Jeanne were evacuated into coast guard vessels and the one cadet was then transferred to a helicopter.

All other personnel were checked medically and released, Fuller said.

Fuller added the Fair Jeanne was carrying 26 cadets and six crew in the middle a five-day rotation period, part of a 40-day contract with the cadets, and was therefore not at liberty to divulge further information about the incident.

Fuller did not have a full report of damage but said crew were able to contain and extinguish the fire in the engine room and the ship did suffer some smoke damage.

The Fair Jeanne was under sail back to Kingston briefly, but Fuller said it was being towed the rest of the way.