-Edited by Bev Mortimer- A local fisherman died near Shark Point, Cape St Francis , this morning after his catamaran apparently washed ashore in rough seas onto rocks.
Shark Point , Cape St Francis by Barry Culligan
The boat was found and a search ensued for the missing man involving seven fishing craft searching, a helicopter search and an all ships alert , a report from the NSRI said this evening
The NSRI says that just before 8 am this morning NSRI St Francis Bay duty crew were activated following reports of a local catamaran fishing craft found unmanned that appeared to have washed onto rocks at Shark Point, on the Western side of lighthouse.
The craft was identified as belonging to a local man, who regularly fishes on his boat in the vicinity of Shark Point and who had launched to go fishing in the early hours of this morning. It was immediately suspected that the fisherman could be be missing, the NSRI said.
The NSRI St Francis Bay rescue craft, Spirit of St Francis II, was launched while NSRI shore crew responded to the land side of Shark Point. The SA Police Services, the Police Dive Unit, EC Government Health EMS, Private Care ambulance services and drone operators of the NSRI Air Rescue Network responded.
“Several members of the public volunteered to assist and were deployed to join in the search, including the fishing boats. NSRI Oyster Bay were placed on alert, NSRI St Francis Bay duty controllers, the SA Police Services, TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) and NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) assisted MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) in coordinating a search operation,” the NSRI said.
A helicopter was dispatched from Gqeberha to join in the search and Telkom Maritime Radio Services assisted with Marine communications and broadcast an all ships alert.
During an air, sea and shoreline search the man was located and recovered in the surf close to rocks near to Shark Point just before 9 am.
Sadly he was declared deceased by paramedics and his body was taken into the care of Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.
The NSRI also said the man had been alone in the boat and the causes of the incident remains unknown. The SAPS have opened an Inquest docket.
Efforts will be made to recover the man’s craft from the rocks, the NSRI said.
NSRI also said condolences are conveyed to the family of the deceased man.
St Francis Chronicle 