Tearful and shaken, survivors of a disastrous shipwreck hugged their Canadian Navy rescuers as they arrived safely in Bermuda on Saturday. "I feel like I've been given a second life,'' said Rodolfo Jumawan, one of the 13 who lived through the sinking of the bulk carrier Leader L 400 miles off the Island. "I want to thank the crew of the (HMCS) Iroquois and God that I've been given another chance'', he added. In a solemn ceremony, officers of the Canadian Navy frigate saluted as the bodies of men who died were taken off one by one.

In all, the remains of only six men were recovered by rescue crews, while another twelve, including the ship's captain, were missing, presumed dead. Sea King helicopter pilot Major Perry Lewis said: "It was sad but satisfying.

While we didn't manage to save all of them, we did manage to get some of them.'' The survivors, who were all in good condition but exhausted, hugged Canadian sailors, who applauded them in return as they walked down the gangplank at Number One Shed, Hamilton. They were taken into the care of the Salvation Army, with whom they will stay for the next few days at the Emergency Housing Complex on Parson's Road, Pembroke. The farewell signalled the end of a traumatic two-day operation, involving a five ship Canadian Navy task force, two US Coast Guard and Canadian reconnaissance aircraft, Rescue Coordination Centres in three countries, and over a thousand military and merchant personnel. Ships were diverted to the 776-foot Panamanian registered but Greek owned ship after a mayday call was sent when she began taking on water last Thursday morning. According to the US Coast Guard, a 45-foot steel plate on the starboard side of the hull came loose after the vessel knocked into a metal object on her way from Spain to New York. The ship, laden with salt, stayed afloat for a few hours before sinking completely in less than a minute. She went down so suddenly that survivors said a life-raft filled with crewmen was still attached to the Leader L as she disappeared beneath the waves. Canadian Atlantic Fleet Commander, Commodore Jamie Frazier said on Saturday: "The crew were waiting in the ship until the helicopters arrived but unfortunately the structure didn't hold. "From the sound that the ship apparently made, it would have been impossible for them to leave in any orderly fashion. "It was less than a minute before she sank completely.'' Despite the loss of life, Commodore Frazier said, as far as he was concerned, this mission had been a "success story''. And Iroquois skipper, Capt. David Sweeney said: "We were very fortunate to get as many people as we did. It was a tremendous international effort and I'm extremely pleased with the way my crew functioned. "The survivors have been through some pretty traumatic experiences and they're still pretty shocked.'' One of the lucky ones who did make it was Mr. Jumawan, who said: "All we can think about now is those friends of ours who died.'' He described how, while he had been rescued from a life-raft, his ship-mates who were in the water stayed together even as they were being bashed around by 15-foot waves. "They held hands in a circle, `I feel I've been given a second life' Mr. Jumawan added that many of the survivors' families back in the Philippines did not even know the disaster had happened until they contacted them on the telephone in Bermuda.

The only Canadian casualty of the operation was Sgt. Tony Thomas, who wrenched his back as he was being winched from one of the four rescue choppers and flew back to Canada from Bermuda yesterday.

His crew mate, Sgt. Tim Lanouette said: "It was a superb effort by all. They were pretty rough seas and we were taking some pretty good hits and rolls when we arrived.'' "We just kept our fingers crossed that we would arrive in time,'' he said.

"When we did, we saw lights coming from one of the life rafts and we saw a body in the water.'' "We weren't sure if he was alive or dead but Sgt. Thomas was injured as he tried to pick him up so we didn't manage to get him in the end.'' One chopper that picked up four survivors made it back to the Iroquois with only ten minutes of fuel in its tanks.

The search was called off late on Friday. The Iroqois left shortly after arriving on Saturday afternoon to rejoin her task force for training exercises off Puerto Rico.

Government Information Services spokeswoman Beve Morfitt said: "It'll take a while for the men to get a passport so they can travel.'' In the meantime, they will be taken care of by the local branch of the Salvation Army, who will provide them with grief counselling, housing and meals.

Divisional secretary Maj. Wilson Noble said: "They'll have our help for as long as they need it, although I can't imagine it will be any longer than five days.'' And yesterday a Salvation Army spokesman said the survivors were "in an upbeat mood'' and "doing very well''.

Ms Morfitt said: "The local Filipino community has been very welcoming and are preparing a traditional meal for the men. They'll be made as comfortable and as welcome as possible.''.

"They'll probably make a lot of new friends.'' A representative of the vessel's owners, Leoninus Shipping, also arrived on the Island over the weekend.