Ta wiadomość zaskoczyła cały świat żeglarski. Wczoraj ok. 300 mil morskich od wybrzeży Brazylii, w drodze do Montevideo (Urugwaj), zatonął piękny żaglowiec – „Concordia” , dobrze znany polskim żeglarzom. Ta stalowa 3-masztowa barkentyna, wzorowana na „Pogorii”, została zbudowana w Szczecinie w latach 1991-92, dla Kanadyjskiej Szkoły Pod Żaglami, dla której wcześniej czarterowano właśnie „Pogorię”.
Już w pierwszym rejsie żaglowiec okazał się bardzo udany, uczestnicząc w słynnej transatlantyckiej Operacji Żagiel „Columbus’92”, wraz z naszymi żaglowcami – „Darem Młodzieży”, „Iskrą”, „Fryderykiem Chopinem” i „Zawiszą Czarnym”. „Concordia” miała za sobą wiele udanych wielomiesięcznych rejsów, w tym także wokół świata, z najbardziej jej zasłużonym i znanym kapitanem Andrzejem Straburzyńskim, i praktycznie stale z polskimi żeglarzami w kadrze oficerskiej, m.in. ze Szczecina (z Andrzejem Marczakiem – budowniczym i pierwszym kapitanem, Wojtkiem Jacobsonem, Jurkiem Szkudlarkiem, Andrzejem Mendygrałem, Adamem Buszem, i innymi). Znana tez była z udziału w zlotach i regatach wielkich żaglowców – m.in. w 2007 roku na Bałtyku i w Szczecinie, spotykając się na morskich szlakach i w portach z polskimi jednostkami i załogami. Podczas TSR’2007 na pokładzie „Concordii”, w drodze z Gdyni do Szczecina, byli m.in. uczniowie z Dąbia.
Na razie brazylijskie i kanadyjskie służby ratownicze, i światowe agencje, podały bardzo mało informacji o katastrofie. Żaglowiec był w kolejnym 10-miesięcznym rejsie z młodzieżą, na pokładzie były 64 osoby, w tym w załodze stałej było dwóch Polaków mechaników. Dwa statki będące w rejonie katastrofy podjęły z tratw pneumatycznych całą załogę żaglowca i płyną z rozbitkami do Rio de Janeiro. Brak informacji o przyczynie zatonięcia „Concordii”. Światowa flota żaglowców szkolnych poniosła dużą stratę, kapitan „Strab” Straburzyński w ub. roku przeszedł nagle i przedwcześnie na wieczną wachtę, może teraz znowu jest na „Concordii”, na niebiańskich szlakach…
Wiesław Seidler
Na zdjęciu – „Concordia” w barwach kanadyjskiej Szkoły Pod Żaglami (ze strony żaglowca)
Dodatkowe informacje (w języku ang.):
Students rescued from sinking ship
A Nova Scotia-based ship carrying dozens of students has sunk off Brazil, but everyone is safe and there were no serious injuries, officials say. The Brazilian navy said the tall ship SV Concordia went down about 550 kilometres southeast of Rio de Janeiro in rough seas. West Island College International, of Lunenburg, which runs the Class Afloat program, said all 64 people aboard were rescued from four life-rafts by merchant vessels early Friday. The 48 students and 16 teachers and crew were expected to be moved to a navy frigate and taken to Rio de Janeiro. Kate Knight, head of the school, said they know everyone is all right, but have heard little else."We just don't have any information about the state of the vessel or what caused the need to abandon ship," she told reporters in Lunenburg. "We're taking it hour by hour while we update families."
The drama on the high seas began Thursday around 8 a.m. AT, when Brazilian search authorities received a distress signal from the 57-metre ship. They contacted the rescue co-ordination centre in Halifax, which alerted the school.
Terry Davies, spokesman for Class Afloat, said his group tried in vain to contact the ship by email and satellite phone. "We were finally able to confirm last night at 8 o'clock that the Brazilian authorities were sending their folks to the last reported co-ordinates," he told CBC News. Brazil's navy said it picked up the distress signal from Concordia and alerted merchant vessels. Three hours later, a military plane spotted a life-raft in the area where the signal came from. Rear Admiral Leonardo Puntel, with the Brazilian navy, told CBC News that the plane was able to tell the merchant ships where to look for survivors. By the time a navy rescue ship arrived, all Concordia passengers and crew had been plucked to safety by the Hokuetsu Delight and the Crystal Pioneer. "There were two injuries, but they were minor," said Puntel. The navy said it was told by the Concordia crew that their ship capsized in high seas.
Anxious parents It has been a terrifying time for parents of the students. Shelley Piller, whose daughter Alicia was aboard the Concordia, said she heard from school officials late Thursday night that the ship had sunk and everyone spent 18 hours in life-rafts. "We were just absolutely horrified and we've been up all night," Piller told CBC News from her home in Kenilworth, Ont. Five of the students are from a Calgary-based private school, which is also called West Island College. “It is a great relief to know our students are safe and will soon be reunited with their families,” CEO Carol Grant-Watt said in a statement. “I want to thank parents and students for their understanding and support. This morning we held a student assembly and are continuing to help our students and faculty deal with this news.”
Knight said school officials were on their to Rio to meet up with the students and crew. The tall ship left Lunenburg last September carrying students in Grades 11 and 12 and first-year university. Most are Canadian, with others coming from the U.S., Mexico, Japan and other countries. The floating school had been expected in Montevideo, Uruguay, on Thursday.
The Concordia was built in 1992 in Poland. It meets "all of the international requirements for safety" and passed inspections by the U.S. and Canadian coast guards, the school's website states. "We have a very good safety record and certainly we have never had an incident or anything remotely related to this," said Knight. Knight said the life-rafts are all equipped with blankets, medical supplies, food and water. Students are required to take part in abandon-ship drills regularly, Davies added. Prime Minister Stephen Harper thanked the Brazilian navy and the merchant ships for their "swift and heroic response." “The skill and compassion demonstrated by Brazilian rescuers is a tribute to their training, spirit and seamanship. Their efforts are deeply appreciated by Canada and will undoubtedly serve as an inspiration to the young Canadians who were aboard the SV Concordia," Harper said in a statement. Canada's Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon also issued a thank you to Brazilian authorities.
With files from The Associated Press
