Cape Town – Nine survivors of a fishing trawler that sank deep sea off Cape Town’s Atlantic Seaboard have been brought to the Port of Table Bay while the search for 11 missing fishermen continues.
“Despite an extensive air and sea search there remains no signs of 11 missing fishermen and a search operation is ongoing,” the South African Search and Rescue NSRI, said in a statement Saturday morning.
“The nine survivors are not injured and they were brought to the Port of Table Bay aboard a fellow fishing vessel during the night. They are in the care of their fishing company.”
Narrating events leading to the search and rescue, the statement said: “At 15:40, Friday, 17 May, NSRI Hout Bay duty crew and NSRI Table Bay duty crew were activated following reports of a fishing vessel sinking approximately 30 nautical miles off-shore of the Atlantic Seaboard”.
The statement added: “A Mayday distress call, intercepted by Telkom Maritime Radio Services at 15:30, was relayed to vessels in the area that responded to assist.
“At least five fishing vessels reached the search area locating and recovering nine of 20 local fishermen from a life raft.”
The NSRI Hout Bay rescue craft Nadine Gordimer and Albie Matthews, and an NSRI Table Bay rescue craft, DHL Deliverer, were also launched.
The SA Police Services, Police Sea Borderline Control, SAPS WPDS (Water Policing and Diving Services), WC Government Health EMS Metro Control and Rescue Squad, DRM (Disaster Risk Management), Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services and CoCT (City of Cape Town) Law Enforcement Marine Unit were placed on alert.
Transnet National Ports Authority, Port of Table Bay Port Control, and NSRI duty controllers assisted MRCC in the logistics and coordination of the search and rescue operation.
Three NSRI rescue craft arrived in the search area and joined fishing vessels in an extensive search operation for 11 missing fishermen in 3 to 4-metre sea swells and 10 to 15-knot winds.
“The casualty fishing vessel appears to have sunk from unknown causes,” said NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon.
“Both life rafts, of the casualty fishing vessel, have been recovered.”
An Aerios Global Aviation helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft joined the search operation.
“Despite an extensive air and sea search there remains no signs of 11 missing fishermen and a search operation is ongoing,” Lambinon said.
“Thoughts and care are with the fishermen’s families and the fishing company in this difficult time.”
Telkom Maritime Radio Services is assisting with marine VHF radio communications and an all-ship alert continues to be broadcast requesting vessels in the area to keep a sharp lookout.
Meanwhile, the Forestry, Fisheries and Environment Minister Barbara Creecy has reacted with “shock and sadness” at the sinking of the hake deep-sea trawl vessel, known as Lepanto, that left 11 fishermen missing.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the missing fishermen and their families as we await news of the search and rescue operation,” said Minister Creecy.
She expressed her gratitude to the vessel that rescued nine fishermen who managed to deploy an emergency craft.
