What Crew Members Say About Medal

On March 11, 2013, the cargo vessel 'Medal' was navigating its route from Gebze to Brest when it came to the aid of the beleaguered Irish trawler 'Rebecca Elizabeth' in the treacherous waters of the Bay of Biscay. The 'Rebecca Elizabeth' had encountered a catastrophic engine failure accompanied by significant water ingress, prompting an urgent distress call. Despite the best efforts to tow the trawler towards safety in Burela, the unforgiving sea conditions led to the unfortunate sinking of the vessel while still under tow. During this harrowing incident, one crew member was successfully rescued by the Search and Rescue (SAR) vessel 'Gavia', while another was airlifted to safety by the SAR helicopter 'Pesca 2'. At 10:45 a.m., 'Medal' played a crucial role by providing real-time updates on the situation of the trawler, serving as a vital communication conduit between the distressed crew and rescue teams ashore.