Harrowing Moments Before Sea Rescue
No one was hurt when a boat carrying 48 Canadian students capsized and quickly sank after being hit by a sudden, intense downdraft hundreds of miles off Brazil's coast last week, or during the ordeal that followed. They and 16 others from the 188-foot Concordia were adrift 38 hours before being rescued by the Brazilian Air Force.
And while the near tragedy spurred by the microburst ended in great relief, it wasn't without its scary moments.
Mark Sinker, a teacher who accompanied the from West Island College students, told "Early Show" co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez Monday how the happy ended easily could have gone the other way.
When the boat sank, there was no time to radio for help but an automatic distress signal was activated.
He said the students managed to get on the life rafts only minutes before the boat disappeared into the sea - then the raft he was in had to be cut loose from a line that could have pulled it down with the Concordia.
Sinker adds that euphoria overtook the students when a rescue plane was finally spotted: