Tamil refugee rescuer honoured after 25 years - CBC News

Twenty-five years ago, Gus Dalton helped rescue 155 Tamil refugees from lifeboats found drifting off the coast of Newfoundland. On Thursday, Dalton and former refugee Siva Mehanathan reunited in St. John's.

Dalton's fishing boat was the first to find the refugees, who had been floating in the open boats for three days. Over two decades later, Dalton was being honoured by the Canadian Tamil Congress, which also thanked him for saving so many lives.

Mehanathan says he will never forget the experience.

"Very very cold, no water, no food, nothing at all in the boat. On the third day, the fisherman catch us, otherwise we (were) going to die, so many people," he said.

Dalton's daughter Diane said the lives that those Tamils have since built in Canada is her father's true legacy.

"He's just delighted that they've prospered here in Canada, have secure lives and are contributing to our society. We're just so lucky to be living in Canada."

Courtesy: CBC News - Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2011/08/11/nl-dalto...

http://www.canadiantamilcongress.com

• Thursday August 11, 2011

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• tamil canadians
• mv sun sea
• toronto tamil
• montreal tamil
• sri lanka
• tamil tigers
• ltte
• tamil migrats
• Newfoundland Tamils
• black july 1983
• tamil canada
• tvi
• tamilvision
• tamil nadu
• jayalaitha
• ctc
• canadian tamil congress
• sinhala
• rajapakse
• sluna