Two crewmen missing from the capsized catamaran earlier today off the Wild Coast were found alive, safe and uninjured, adrift at sea in a life-raft, about 51 nautical miles off-shore of Kidd’s Beach, East London.
The men, Jean Sitruk, 65, from Lyon, France, and Kyle Castelyn, 30, from Strand, Cape Town, were found at about 6.25 pm by the bulk carrier CMA CGM Rossini. The carrier was one of 6 ships assisting in the search with the NSRI vessel and an SAAF helicopter.
The two survivors have requested to stay on CMA CGM Rossini travelling to Cape Town and are expected in Cape Town on Tuesday, 20 October.
Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre tasked the carrier to return to the last known position and to search again in the fading light. It was during this second search that the life raft and the men were found. The men were rowing towards the carrier, which took them onto the ship until the NSRI sea recue craft reached it shortly after 8 pm.
The men are in good spirits and everyone involved in the Search and Rescue operation is overjoyed. The families of the two men have been informed pf the good news.
Together with the the crew on NSRI East London sea rescue craft Spirit of Lotto and those on SAAF 15 Squadron Oryx helicopter, the crew on 6 ships were involved in the Search and Rescue operation. The bulk carriers are Shin Heiru and Cape Olive, the container ships CMA CGM Rossini, Mare Atlanticum and Northern Justice and the oil chemical tanker STI Mythos. All rescue crewmen are commended for their efforts today and are now continuing with their voyages.
Read first article today on the incident:
https://stfrancischronicle.com/2015/10/18/catamaran-capsizes-on-wild-coast-2-crew-missing/
Edited by St Francis Chronicle
St Francis Chronicle 