Tag Archives: F/V Challenger Traveler

Captain of scorched fishing vessel mourns loss of ‘dream’ boat

It’s been three days since Stan Bennett and his crew were rescued safe and sound after issuing a mayday from their burning fishing vessel, and now they’re trying to figure out how to best chart their new course forward. According to the Coast Guard, the 63-foot Challenger Traveler — which Captain Bennett, and his brother Derwin, used as a crab fishing boat — burned to the water line and sank following a dramatic evacuation on Friday.,,, Bennett’s also looking for the fishing gear and cages he left behind on the ocean, where his crew had dropped 500 pots. >click to read<20:24

Skipper of fishing vessel that caught fire feared he would never see family again

When the crew of the Challenger Traveler left on a crab fishing trip Friday morning, the last thing they expected to do was end the day clinging to safety on a raft in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. 4 people safely rescued after abandoning fishing vessel off St. John’s But after the 63-foot fishing vessel caught fire about 160 kilometres outside St. John’s, the four men on board — captain Stan Bennett, his brother Derwin Bennett, cousin Kevin Hewitt and Derek Nichol — had no other choice but to call mayday and abandon ship. >click to read<18:38

4 Fishermen rescued after abandoning burning fishing vessel off St. John’s

Four people have been safely rescued from a life-raft after abandoning their fishing vessel that caught fire off the coast of St. John’s Friday night. The crew members of the Challenger Traveler were brought to safety by the supply vessel Atlantic Raven, following a prompt rescue response that included two coast guard vessels, a helicopter and half a dozen fishing boats.  Maj. Mark Morris, the officer in charge at the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Halifax, said a distress call came in around 8 p.m. while the boat was 160 kilometres off the coast of St. John’s.  Shortly afterward, the crew were forced to abandon ship for the life-raft and were awaiting rescue for approximately two hours, said Morris. >click to read<07:52

Breaking: Coast Guard searching for 4 people in life-raft who abandoned fishing vessel off St. John’s

The coast guard is trying to find four people who abandoned their fishing vessel for a life-raft after issuing a distress call 160 kilometres off the coast of St. John’s on Friday night. A public affairs officer with the Joint Task Force Atlantic (JTFA) confirmed for CBC News that the position of the raft is known, but contact has not yet been established. The crew members were on board the Challenger Traveler, a 20-metre fishing vessel. JTFA would not immediately confirm what prompted the distress call. >click to read<22:12