Yesterday just before 6 pm, 12 January, NSRI Gqeberha volunteer duty crew were activated following reports of a fishing vessel ablaze about approximately 1 nautical mile offshore of Noordhoek and then another that all crew were about to abandon the burning boat.
Mark Dawson, NSRI Gqeberha station commander, said the NSRI crew returned to base and the NSRI shore team went to Noodhoek. Telkom Maritime Radio Services put out alerts that reports were received that all the 21 crew men on the burning boat were preparing to abandon the vessel.
NSRI Gqeberha dispatched NSRI rescue swimmers and our NSRI rescue vehicle to respond to Noordhoek while the NSRI rescue craft Bay Guardian and Rescue 6 Alpha were launched and responded.
EC Government Health EMS and the SA Police Services were alerted and responded to Noordhoek and responded to the NSRI rescue base at the Port of Port Elizabeth. TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Port Elizabeth Port Control, SAMSA (South African Maritime Safety Authority) and MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) were alerted.
Telkom Maritime Radio Services broadcast an all ships alert informing boats in the area to divert to assist the survivors, who were abandoning the casualty fishing vessel. A local fishing vessel, Leguga launched their own life-raft to assist fishermen crew who were in the water near to their burning fishing vessel. All 21 fishermen had abandoned the burning vessel and were in the sea.
All 21 casualty crew were rescued by the local fishing vessels that had gone to her assistance. About five other vessels had arrived on the scene. The fishing vessel Legugu managed to recover 12 fishermen from their life-raft and from the sea. The fishing vessel Raka rescued 4 fishermen, the fishing vessel Maverick rescued 4 fishermen, and the fishing vessel Vulcan rescued 1 fisherman.
All 21 crew were reported to be accounted for and safe.
We believe that all 21 fishermen are South African.
A fire from unknown causes spread fast after being discovered onboard by the skipper. The skipper alerted his crew, and they were forced to abandon ship without having time to launch their own life-raft . The skipper was able to dispatch a Mayday distress VHF radio call.
NSRI rescue craft found all 21 casualty crew on 4 fishing vessels. They were transferred onto NSRI’s rescue craft Bay Guardian and then were transferred in relays by the NSRI rescue craft Rescue 6 Alpha.
All men were brought to the NSRI rescue base at the Port of Port Elizabeth. There they were medically assessed by EMS paramedics and were confirmed to be uninjured, requiring no medical care.
The casualty fishing vessel drifted towards Cape Recife still well ablaze. Her whereabouts were monitored for SAMSA.
SAMSA reported the owners have appointed a salvage and spill response company who are monitoring and attempting to gain access to the vessel but are hampered at present by the dangerous reef and darkness (the situation last night)
The cause of the casualty fishing vessel fire will be investigated by SAMSA (South African Maritime Safety Authority) and by Police. An all-ships-alert warning of the navigational hazard (the burning boat) at sea is being broadcast by Telkom Maritime Radio Services.
The casualty vessel had initially departed the Port of Port Elizabeth earlier, heading to fishing grounds.
The bystanders who swiftly raised the alarm, the swift response of NSRI, Port Control and Telkom Maritime Radio Services, and the swift efforts of the local fishing vessels that rescued the 21 fishermen, were commended for their rescuing the crew.
St Francis Chronicle 