Canadian PM may visit ailing sailors
Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin has revealed he may divert from his first major foreign tour to visit a hospital in Ireland where Canadian sailors were being treated after being rescued from a disabled submarine. But the detour depends on whether the sailors are well enough to see him.
Three sailors from the crippled submarine HMCS Chicoutimi were airlifted to Sligo after a major fire on Tuesday.
“That would totally depend on the state of their health,” Martin said. “If I’m able to go to the hospital in Sligo and see them, I’ll go to Sligo.”
Lieut. Chris Saunders died Wednesday as a British helicopter was taking the three crewmen to Ireland for emergency treatment. The Chicoutimi, which was handed over from Britain on Saturday, was sailing for Halifax, Nova Scotia, where it had been due to arrive on October 18.
A hospital spokesman said Master Seaman Archibald MacMaster, 41, was in critical but stable condition in the intensive-care unit. The second crewman - Petty Officer Second Class Denis Lafleur, also 41 – was in stable but less-serious condition.
They were among several of the 57-member crew who suffered smoke inhalation, but could not be reached right away as rescuers fought rough seas.
Martin is due to leave today for an eight-day visit to meet with the leaders of Russia, Hungary and France.
The prime minister is also considering a detour to a Scottish port where the Chicoutimi is expected to be towed in the next few days, said Scott Reid, a spokesman for Martin, adding that they are “constrained in making those decisions by the challenge involved” in communicating with the sub and clarifying when it will arrive in port.
There are 54 sailors still stranded on the disabled vessel, which is being towed to port. But British officials say the men are in no danger and are in high spirits.
Martin deflected what critics are already calling a major military embarrassment, saying the Canadian Navy itself has defended four used subs bought from the British Royal Navy.
“The Navy feel very, very strongly that these subs are what they need and what they want, and while there have been problems, they’re not unusual,” Martin said.
