Six people rescued from the sea after boat capsizes

Six people were rescued from the sea off Durban today, 13 April, after their boat capsized.

 Despite them all hanging onto the hull for sometime, rough seas washed them off the hull and separated them all from it. The passengers were all wearing life jackets and are believed to have been floundering in the sea before they were rescued.

 The passengers were on the casualty boat Queen Fish and were brought safely ashore by Durban NSRI today.

This follows the boat becoming water logged while the people on board were fishing. The 54 year-old owner of the boat is from Durban and he and his passengers were uninjured but suffering from mild hypothermia.

 The boat owner has respectfully requested that NSRI does not release the passengers’ names and contact details . The passengers included the owner’s 12 year old son and his son’s friend from Pietermaritzburg, his 18 year-old nephew from Durban and two friends of the nephew, a 46 year-old and a 39 year-old from Durban.

 The owner of the boat told NSRI they were fishing when they noticed water in the boat and on opening hatches they found the boat waterlogged. They started their engines and got underway attempting to drain water while being underway. They also raised the alarm and during attempts to drain water it appeared the motor may have cut out and the boat capsized.

 SAMSA (South African Maritime Safety Authority) has been informed and they will investigate the incident. It is not yet known what caused the boat to fill with water and capsize. 

The owner has not decided on a salvage effort for his boat. A navigational warning is being broadcast by Telkom Maritime Radio Services warning shipping in the area of the navigational hazard of the upturned hull of the boat drifting at sea. 

The NSRI reports that the people on the boat were given a hot shower and warm drinks at NSRI Durban rescue base and they were in good spirits and required no further assistance.

 (edited)

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