SEA RESCUE – East Coast – Wednesday, 03rd September, 2014. NSRI responding to assist yacht:
UPDATE3: SEA RESCUE EAST COAST. WEDNESDAY, 03 September:The 3 sailors, skipper Jack Hattigh, 64, from Robertson, and the two crewmen Kyle Doherthy, (age early 20’s), from Gordons Bay, and Luke Tothill, (aged early 20’s), from Johannesburg, aboard the Gordons Bay 10 meter yacht BARBARIAN were towed safely to the Port of East London by NSRI East London’s sea rescue craft SPIRIT OF LOTTO arriving a 16h45.They will carry out repairs to the damaged rudder before continuing on their voyage.Sailing from Durban to Gordon’s Bay they had run into difficulties off-shore of Mazeppa Bay suffering a damaged rudder during the early evening yesterday.They did well to sail under a rigged temporary rudder until reaching 23 nautical miles from Port where NSRI East London rendezvoused with them at around 11a.m. today and took them under tow.PHOTO’S of the operation have been posted to the
NSRI FLICKR page.
UPDATE2: SEA RESCUE EAST COAST. WEDNESDAY, 03 September:During this morning, Wednesday, 03 September, NSRI East London were again tasked to go to assist the yacht BARBARIAN.BARBARIAN and her three male crew had managed to sail closer to East London on a temporary rudder but finally succumbed to requesting a tow.NSRI East London’s sea rescue craft SPIRIT OF LOTTO arrived on-scene at around 11a.m., 23 nautical miles from East London, and have rigged a towline to the yacht and are expected in Port at around 4p.m. today.All 3 crewmen onboard BARBARIAN are safe but reportedly tired.
UPDATE: SEA RESCUE EAST COAST. WEDNESDAY, 03 September:The operation to assist the yacht BARBARIAN with 3 male crew onboard was aborted at 03h00 this morning and the yachtsmen had managed to rig a temporary rudder and are continuing to sail.MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) are monitoring their progress but for now NSRI intervention is not required.They were last position 36 nautical miles off-shore and 46 nautical miles from East London and sailing without incident.
ORIGINAL REPORT:Geoff McGregor, NSRI East London station commander, said:'At 20h30, Tuesday, 02nd September, NSRI East London volunteer sea rescue duty crew were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority and launched the sea rescue craft SPIRIT OF LOTTO to respond to off-shore of Mazeppa Bay to go to the assistance of the yacht BARBARIAN reporting a damaged rudder and unable to sail.'BARBARIAN has 3 male crew onboard all reporting to be safe but unable to steer their yacht and requiring assistance 6 nautical miles off-shore of Mazeppa Bay, 60 nautical miles from East London.'Estimates are that SPIRIT OF LOTTO will reach them at around 02h00, Wednesday, 03rd September, but rough sea conditions may slow progress.'The intention is to take the yacht under tow and tow her to the Port of East London and we estimate arriving in East London at around lunch time on Wednesday all going well.'The 3 yachtsmen had attempted to repair the rudder at sea and when that failed they attempted to rig a temporary rudder but it appears this has not worked and assistance from the NSRI was requested.“Telkom Maritime Radio Services are assisting with radio communications.Updates to follow.
