Engineer of Fishing Vessel Guiding Light Receives Lifesaving Trophy for Rescue at Sea

The engineer of the fishing vessel Guiding Light has been awarded a lifesaving trophy for his quick thinking during the sinking of the vessel’s sister ship, Guiding Star, off the Shetland Islands last year. The incident occurred in October 2022 when the two trawlers collided while retrieving their trawl gear in challenging conditions. The Guiding Star began to sink rapidly, putting the lives of the eight crewmembers at risk. However, the engineer of the Guiding Light, Kriss Leel, acted swiftly and used a pulley system to transfer immersion suits from his own vessel to the stricken one. The crew of the Guiding Star then abandoned ship just before it sank. The Guiding Light managed to rescue the crewmembers from the life raft, with three being hoisted out of the water using a crane and power block. The remaining three survivors were picked up by an HM Coastguard helicopter.

Kriss Leel’s actions during the sinking of the Guiding Star have been recognized by the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society, which awarded him the Lady Swaythling Trophy for 2023. Captain Justin Osmond RN, Chief Executive of the Society, commended Leel for his exceptional seamanship and skill in operating the power block under pressure and challenging conditions. Although the rescue was unconventional, Leel’s calmness and quick thinking resulted in the safe rescue of his colleagues from a life-threatening situation. The incident serves as a reminder of the dangers faced by fishermen and the importance of preparedness and quick action in emergency situations at sea.

The collision and sinking of the Guiding Star occurred off the Shetland Islands in October 2022. The fishing vessel was in the process of retrieving its trawl gear when it collided with its sister ship, the Guiding Light. The impact caused the Guiding Star to rapidly take on water, making the lifejackets and immersion suits inaccessible to the crew. However, the engineer of the Guiding Light, Kriss Leel, acted swiftly to transfer immersion suits from his vessel to the stricken one using a pulley system. The crew of the Guiding Star then abandoned ship just before it sank. The Guiding Light successfully rescued the crewmembers from the life raft, with three being hoisted out of the water using a crane and power block. The remaining three survivors were picked up by an HM Coastguard helicopter. Leel’s actions during the incident have been recognized by the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society, which awarded him the Lady Swaythling Trophy for 2023.

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