Boat sinks, 6 rescued

The Queen Fisher crew safely ashore.UPDATE: SEA RESCUE DURBAN: SATURDAY, 13 APRIL, 2013:The six people from the casualty boat QUEEN FISHER were brought safely to NSRI Durban base aboard the rescue boat and checked by Netcare 911 ambulance service paramedics. They were not injured.They are : owner, Faizel Bhayla, 54, from Pietermaritzburg, his Son Haroon, 12, Mohammed Essa, 12, from Pietermaritzburg, nephew of the owner Mohammed Amra, 18, from Durban, Irshaad Vaizie, 39, from Durban, and Shaheed Moosa, 46, from Durban.They were all experiencing mild hypothermia and were given a hot shower and warm drinks at NSRI Durban rescue base. They are in good spirits.SAMSA (South African Maritime Safety Authority) will investigate the incident. It is not yet known what caused the boat to fill with water and capsize.A navigational warning is being broadcast by Telkom Maritime Radio Services warning shipping in the area of the navigational hazard of the upturned hull of the boat drifting at sea.Faizel, he owner of the boat, told NSRI that they had been fishing when they noticed water in the boat and on opening hatches they found the boat waterlogged.They started their engines and got underway attempting to drain water. They also called for help. During these attempts to drain water while underway it appeared that the motor cut out and the boat capsized.They initially hung onto the upturned hull, but they were washed off the upturned hull and then separated from it before they were rescued. They were all wearing life-jackets.ORIGINAL RELEASE:Clifford Ireland, NSRI Durban station commander, said: 'At 13h40 on Saturday the 13th of April, the Durban duty crew were called out following reports of a boat sinking 2 miles off the Cooperlight wreck, South East of Cooper Lighthouse, between Brighton Beach and the Umlaas Cutting, 6 nautical miles South of Durban.'Our NSRI Durban volunteer sea rescue duty crew launched MEGAN II and NSRI volunteer Paul Dawson launched his private boat ALICE and responded.'While NSRI was responding, Faizel Bhayla, the skipper of the casualty boat QUEEN FISHER, a 10 meter Riviera, confirmed to Sea Rescue by cellphone that there were four adults and two children on board. He told us that they were all wearing life-jackets and that his boat was filling with water fast and that they were preparing to abandon the boat.'The skipper then confirmed to us that the boat had capsized and all six people on board were now hanging onto the upturned hull of the boat.'On our arrival on-scene a search commenced and we found the upturned hull of the boat and 1 nautical mile south of the upturned hull we found all six people drifting in their life-jackets.'They are unharmed.'They told us that they had been washed off the hull of the upturned boat and once in the sea the upturned hull of their boat had drifted away from them.'Netcare ambulance services have been summonsed and paramedics will assess the casualties as soon as they are all brought to our sea rescue base in Durban. They will most likely be treated for shock and mild hypothermia.'The cause of the casualty boat taking on water and capsizing has not been determined. They had reportedly been fishing at the time of the incident' File picture : Queen Fisher. Queen Fisher crew brought ashore after their ordeal. The Queen Fisher crew arrive at the Durban Sea Rescue base aboard Megan II.