Bob Gainey's daughter

Oh no, how horrific:

HALIFAX -- The United States Coast Guard said today its search for Laura Gainey, 25, daughter of Montreal Canadiens general manager Bob Gainey, is at a crucial stage.

As of 9 a.m. this morning, Laura Gainey had been in the water 30 hours after being swept by a wave from the tall sailing ship Picton Castle in rough seas about 750 kilometres southeast of Cape Cod, Mass.

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Dan Moreland, managing captain of the Picton Castle, said Laura Gainey was not believed to have been wearing a lifejacket at the time of the incident.

Wearing one is not standard practice for mates performing regular duties on deck, he said.

It was not known exactly what she was doing at the time she was swept away, but she might have been straightening sail lines or walking to the toilet room, he said.

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Laura Gainey was an advanced apprentice on the ship, having trained on it for months.

She sailed from Cape Town, South Africa to Lunenburg, N.S. in May, then trained on it while in the Great Lakes this summer. The current trip departed Lunenburg Dec. 5, headed for St. George’s, Grenada.

Laura Gainey was to continue her training for five months before returning to Canada in May.

Laura Gainey, who battled drug addiction as a teenager after her mother died of a brain tunor(sic) when Laura was barely 10, had expressed an interest in sailing as a profession, Moreland said.

Even an experienced swimmer would have trouble after being in the water for 30 hours. Bob Gainey must be having a terrible time right now, not knowing her fate. Foxnews is saying that a person would succumb to hypothermia after 36 hours.

"She is hardworking, someone who wanted to turn her life around. She was passionate about sailing, loves it and worked very hard," he said. "She was no slouch."

There is nothing on the Habs website yet, but I'd expect them to put something up shortly. What a shame for such a fine young woman who had cleaned herself up and was succeeding in life.