A Global Maritimes team captured exclusive dramatic video of a man struggling to stay alive in frigid waters after his boat capsized. The reporter, Mayya Assouad, and cameraman, Kevin Godwin, were returning from an assignment when they heard reports of a capsized boat near their location.
They were the first media on scene, and the only television crew to obtain video of the incident.
The images show the man calling out for help while rescuers try to get to him, and also show emergency personnel frantically working to revive a fellow boater.
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This event unfolded late in the day, and one of the main challenges was making the deadline with a full story for the 11 o’clock newscast (News Final).
The other challenge was deciding what parts of the footage to use, since it essentially captured the death of a man. After much discussion, it was decided that since nothing quite tells a story like the eyes (or in this case, the camera) that saw it, the images would be used, albeit without any close-ups of the deceased.
The objective was to report on a tragic story affecting human lives in a way that was sensitive and fair, while making full use of the powerful images available.
The result is a news story that manages to capture, in a very powerful way, a tragedy as it unfolds.
RTDNA (Atlantic) has awarded Global Maritimes, Mayya Assouad and Kevin Godwin the Charles Edwards Award for Spot News. RTDNA will present the award at a ceremony in Halifax Saturday, April 14.
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