The terrible thing about being in a shipwreck – as Mission to Seafarers chaplains like Reverend Stephen Hazlett (picture) know – is that you lose everything, your possessions, your home and your job – and worst of all, your mates. One young sailor from the Baltic Ace held onto his friend in the sea as long as he could, till his shipmate said “You have to let me go… or we’ll both die… ” So, agonizingly, he did. Shameful to be treated as the survivors were by the hospital. But, the Mission to Seafarers were there, finding hotel accommodation, clothes and food – and above all giving comfort and support to the traumatized sailors. And next day too, as lawyers descended to grill the survivors about what happened. Stephen made sure he sat in on that session, supporting the seafarers. Flying Angel indeed.
All is Lost
05 March 2015
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About Rob
Rob is a TV producer, reporter and camera operator with 30 years’ experience at the BBC, Channel 4 and ITN, in news, factual and documentary production. He is a four times award winner, whose awards include a coveted Royal Television Society award for his work on Channel 4 News. His association with The Maritime Foundation goes back to 1995, when he won the first Desmond Wettern Maritime Media Award for a series of reports that led to a major documentary on the loss of the bulk carrier Derbyshire.