Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: June 27, 2001
• Invested on: December 06, 2001

On April 15, 1999, Gunter Senkowski rescued a Canadian couple from a disabled sailboat, some 60 kilometres off Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.A. Mr. Senkowski was Chief Officer on a cargo- passenger ship when a distress call was received from the sailboat whose engine had caught fire in stormy weather. The rolling seas made it dangerous to come alongside the powerless sailboat which was bouncing in three-metre waves. Aware that the captain, who had inhaled toxic fumes, needed urgent medical assistance, Mr. Senkowski jumped into the tumultuous Atlantic Ocean and swam the 100 metres that separated the two vessels. He first climbed into a small dinghy, then onboard the sailboat. After putting the fire out and securing the sail, he was able to manoeuvre the vessel alongside the much larger ship and lifted the two people up to his crew mates. The man was later airlifted to a hospital while Mr. Senkowski remained on the sailboat with a crew member until the Coast Guard towed it to safety.