AVALON VOYAGER II - CANADA

Catalina, Newfoundland, Oct 23 - A Canadian search and rescue helicopter airlifted two of six crewmembers from Avalon Voyager II taking on water about 325 km north-east of Newfoundland. The helicopter also dropped a pump to the ship, which continued to be in danger of sinking, said Lt.Cmdr. Denise LaViolette of the rescue centre in Halifax. While the crew attempted to stop the ingress of water coming in from a pipe, a commercial vessel moved alongside Avalon Voyager II to provide a windbreak. The vessel's crew was able to stop the flooding and a Canadian Coast Guard auxiliary vessel towed her to Catalina.