Kommetjie launch at 1am to assist crayfish bakkie

Tom Coetzee, NSRI Kommetjie station commander, said: 'At 01h00 NSRI Kommetjie volunteer sea rescue duty crew were activated following reports of a crayfish bakkie (small fishing boat) experiencing a snapped propellor shaft off-shore of Slangkop Lighthouse, Scarborough, with two fishermen on board. 'Our NSRI Kommetjie volunteer sea rescue duty crew launched our sea rescue craft SPIRIT of the WINELANDS and our rescue vehicle responded.'Sea conditions were a gusting 20 knot South Easterly wind and a 2.5 meter choppy, rough sea swell.'While responding to the scene it was determined that the small fishing boat was much further South and, after activating two illuminating flares to assist in our locating them in the dark moonless conditions, we found them half a nautical mile off-shore of Olifantsbospunt, in the Cape Point Nature Reserve.'On arrival on-scene we found both men safe and a tow-line was rigged.'NSRI Hout Bay volunteer sea rescue duty crew were activated at 01h28 and dispatched both of their sea rescue craft NADINE GORDIMER and ALBIE MATTHEWS. 'Our intentions were for our NSRI Kommetjie sea rescue boat to tow the casualty craft to Kommetjie and NSRI Hout Bay would take over the tow effort there and tow the casualty boat to Hout Bay.'In the rough sea conditions and the strong off-shore winds it was later decided to tow the casualty vessel into the crayfish factory slip way, between Scarborough and Kommetjie, and once we had them safely ashore NSRI Hout Bay were released to return to base.'Our sea rescue craft was recovered at Crayfish Factory, the Police Sea Borderline, who had also responded, were on hand and the fishermen were to arrange a trailer to recover their boat but they required no further sea rescue assistance.'