Six men rescued near Bird Island:

PORT ELIZABETH Tuesday 17th July 2012.At 03h30 Port Elizabeth volunteer sea rescue crew were called out following a request for assistance from six men on a rigid inflatable boat with engine failure near Bird Island.The duty crew launched two sea rescue craft, Spirit of Toft and Eikos Rescuer IV, and responded to the scene arriving just after 05h00 in 3 foot swells and generally calm sea conditions. The 6 men were taken onboard our sea rescue craft and their casualty boat taken under tow. No injuries are reported.An increasing sea state with sea swells up to 3 meters, slowed down the return trip, and both rescue craft and the casualty craft, were able to make just under 9 knots.It is unknown what the 6 men were doing at the time.