Minister Tobin and the federal cabinet then told the DFO to demonstrate Canadian resolve on the issue by "making an example" of a European Union fishing vessel. On 9 March 1995, an offshore patrol aircraft detected the Spanish stern trawler "Estai" in international waters outside Canada's 200-nautical-mile EEZ. Armed DFO patrol vessels, "Cape Roger", "Leonard J. Cowley" and Canadian Coast Guard ship , intercepted and pursued "Estai", which cut its weighted trawl net and fled after an initial boarding attempt. A chase that lasted several hours ended after the Canadian Fisheries Patrol vessel "Cape Roger" fired a .50 calibre machine gun across the "Estai"s bow. The "Sir Wilfred Grenfell" used high-pressure fire-fighting water cannon to deter other Spanish fishing vessels from disrupting the operation. Finally, armed DFO Fishery Officers and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers boarded "Estai" in international waters on the Grand Banks.