The Canadian Coast Guard sent another icebreaker to help break up the ice that has trapped sealing vessels off Newfoundland and Labrador for much of the past five days.

The coast guard said the additional icebreaker was dispatched from Halifax to help break up the ice field that trapped 100 vessels trying to return home after the end of the seal hunt on April 13.

About 90 vessels remain trapped in a massive expanse of pack ice off the northeast coast of Newfoundland and southern Labrador.
(Department of Fisheries and Oceans)

So far, about 55 men have been evacuated from their ice-bound boats, but some 500 fishermen remain stranded on about 90 boats.

"It's very, very extreme," Capt. Brian Penney said Sunday, adding conditions a day earlier forced crews to temporarily abandon two vessels in the Notre Dame Bay region.

The ice pressure, which increased from the tip of the Northern Peninsula to Bonavista Bay, was so strong that it pierced the hull of one vessel.

It's hoped changing winds in Monday's forecast will begin to push the consolidated ice south, and help the icebreakers reach the northern waters where the majority of vessels are trapped.

"Hopefully we'll have the icebreakers … to break it up enough to be able to start to escort," Penney said.

Longliners freed

Over the weekend, icebreakers helped free three longliners in an area off Fogo Island, but one boat became stuck again .

An icebreaker from Quebec was also helping four vessels escape the ice off St. Augustine, Que.

Lodged between ice more than a metre thick, some vessels have been tipped over, leaving their hulls and keels damaged.

Aside from performing some evacuations, Penney said, coast guard crews were also delivering materials to temporarily repair damaged vessels.

There were also concerns about dwindling supplies, particularly for a cluster of 10 boats off Belle Isle. 

"Their situation is gradually deteriorating," Penney said. "They are low on supplies and low on fuel. They do not have enough fuel to transit to the south to an open port, therefore they are also becoming a concern for us."

Boredom grows

Still, some sealers weren't suffering too much. Crew members of the Sunset Cruiser said they were never in any danger, just bored.

Experienced sealers have said the ice conditions this year are the worst in two decades.

Penney said he was hopeful winds would blow in the right direction, sending the ice field farther south and out to sea.

But he said some longliners may have to stay behind once they're freed to assist in towing smaller boats.

"It's going to be a very demanding and co-operative process," he said. "The co-operation and the support from the longliner captains and their crews has been tremendous, but some of them have been stuck in the ice for 14 days."

with files from the Canadian Press