Paternoster – Yacht runs aground:

Paternoster – Thursday 08th September 2011.At 07h37 our NSRI Mykonos volunteer duty crew were called out following eye-witness reports of a yacht firing red distress flares 200 meters off Paternoster.Our NSRI Mykonos volunteer crew responded towing our sea rescue craft to be launched on-scene. A Police Port of Entry Security vessel launched at Saldanha Bay to respond to the scene as well as Metro EMS and an ex NSRI Mykonos volunteer crewman, Ian Wilkinson, who lives in Paternoster.Sea conditions were a gusting up to 25 knot Northerly wind and 2 meter choppy and rough sea swells.While we were responding to the scene we were able to get hold of the skipper (and owner) of the casualty yacht KAJIMA, 50 year old Richard Danell, and his crewman 80 year old George Ashley. They said that their rudder had shown signs of being faulty earlier the previous evening and had now broken completely, and their anchor was dragging. They were close enough to shore to get off the boat and wade ashore if necessary.Richard had just bought the yacht and was delivering her to Saldanha Bay.A short while later Richard confirmed that the yacht had run onto the beach and had been capsized by waves but he and his crewman were safe ashore.A group of locals waded into the water to help the two men ashore.The Police boat and our sea rescue 4x4 vehicle, towing our sea rescue boat, were stood down.The owner will make arrangements to salvage his yacht. He has confirmed that they were anchored in the Paternoster Bay for two days.