NSRI Knysna volunteer sea rescue duty crew towed a 20-meter Catamaran yacht that was in peril to Mossel Bay today.
Mossel Bay NSRI took over the tow this afternoon and the five crew on the yacht, Lynschoten sailing from Richard’s Bay to Cape Town, are reported to be safe.
Knysna NSRI volunteers were activated at 10 am this morning ( 30 October) following a request for assistance from the yacht which took on water that flooded the motor and generator. The yacht was then adrift at sea, 11 nautical miles south of the Knysna Heads, with 5 crew on board, 2 females and 3 males.
Graeme Harding, NSRI Knysna station commander, said NSRI Knysna duty crew launched their sea rescue craft Colorpress Rescuer and set off in choppy rough seas with 4 to 5 meter swells to rendezvous with the yacht. On finding her to be listing and in peril sea rescue crew went aboard to pump the yacht free of water while a tow-line was established.
“Realising a towing effort would not make it through Knysna Heads in the adverse sea conditions we began towing the yacht towards Mossel Bay,” Harding said. “We alerted NSRI Mossel Bay to launch later in the day. to take over the tow closer to Mossel Bay. All crew on board are safe.”
A 3 pm NSRI Mossel Bay volunteer duty crew launched their sea rescue craft Vodacom Rescuer and met the stricken yacht Knysna 20 nautical miles North East of Mossel Bay and took over the towline.
NSRI Knysna returned to base arriving safely in Knysna at 6.30 pm this evening.
Dawie Zwiegelaar, NSRI Mossel Bay station commander, said the tow progress progress in strong winds and big sea swells is slow and he expects the yacht to be safely in Mossel Bay by around 23 pm tonight.
No details of the crew on the yacht are available at this stage and an update will be posted tomorrow.
(edited)
All articles edited or written, all photos taken plus all adverts designed by the Editor and printed in the St Francis Chronicle are protected by the law of Copyright ©. Reproduction or copying of any part of the contents of this newspaper and its concept and design can only be done with the Editor’s written permission.
St Francis Chronicle 