THE SKIPPER of a Newlyn fishing boat who received a top bravery award after going to the aid of a sinking ship was later sacked after taking time off to attend the ceremony.
Shaun Edwards says he was given an ultimatum by the owners of a fisheries research ship to be on their vessel for work on September 25.
​Skipper Shaun Edwards. Emily Whitfield-WicksThe vessel was due to be at sea for around ten days, which would have meant him missing the presentation by Princess Anne of the Lady Swaythling Award.
Mr Edwards says he asked managers of the ship, P&O Maritime Services, for time off to attend the ceremony. But he said this request and another to take leave without pay or swap shifts with another mate, were all refused.
"I had to choose between going to the awards and meeting Princess Anne and losing my job and I chose to go to the awards," he said.
"I don't regret it, I wouldn't have missed it for anything, it was a once in a lifetime experience."
The award was being given to Mr Edwards and his crew after they battled through gale-force winds to help pluck 47 passengers off a dismasted tall ship, the Fryderyk Chopin.
The audacious rescue bid, which was conducted in appalling conditions last November, led to the skipper and his crew of the vessel Nova Spero being hailed as heroes.
Mr Edwards later took a job with P&O Maritime Services but his employment was terminated after he attended the ceremony at the historic Fishmongers' Hall in London.
He told The Cornishman the decision left him "fuming".
"I just feel penalised for helping people at sea," he said. "You get commended for it and then you lose your job. It's a shame because it could have been good PR for them."
Mr Edwards says the company has since told him his contract was due to be terminated anyway.
Paul Trebilcock, chief executive of the Cornish Fish Producers' Organisation, said the decision was "heartless".
"Shaun and his crew put their own lives at risk that night," he said.
"What they did was above and beyond the call of duty. To not give someone time off to receive this very prestigious honour is well out of line."
After the rescue last year, Mr Edwards placed another skipper in charge of the Nova Spero and took a job as second mate on board fishery research ship Cefas Endeavour.
The matter has now been taken up by St Ives MP Andrew George, who is going to ask the fisheries minister Richard Benyon to intervene.
Alan Rowan, general manager for P&O Maritime Services in the firm's Galway office in Ireland, was unavailable to comment any further on the story.
However, he told Fishing News that Mr Edwards' contract was "categorically" not terminated because he attended the awards ceremony.
article copyright THE CORNISHMAN