Fishing vessel taking on water assisted

At 01h27 on Saturday the 14th March, NSRI Hout Bay were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) following the activation of a SART (Search and Rescue Transponder), at 01h00, from the Cape Town fishing trawler OCEANA AMETHYST, with 20 crew onboard, taking water with a hole in her Starboard side approximately 4 nautical miles off Scarborough.At 01h36, NSRI Kommetjie, the closer sea rescue station to the incident, activated to respond to the casualty fishing trawler to deliver a water extrication pump (supplied by NSRI Simonstown) and to stand-by on the scene as a precautionary measure to evacuate casualty crew if necessary.NSRI rescue crew were put aboard the casualty craft to assist the fishermen to pump water from the vessel.NSRI Hout Bay launched the sea rescue craft NADINE GORDIMER and ALBIE MATTHEWS and on arrival on the scene additional sea rescue crew were transferred aboard and pumping water from the casualty craft continued while NSRI Hout Bay’s sea rescue craft NADINE GORDIMER towed the fishing trawler towards Hout Bay harbour.On NSRI’s arrival on the scene the casualty vessel was found to have a hole in her starboard side from unknown causes and her engine room had flooded causing the electronics to fail leaving the vessel adrift.3 NSRI rescue crew remained onboard the casualty craft assisting to pump water from the casualty craft and the casualty craft was towed safely into Hout Bay harbour by the sea rescue craft NADINE GORDIMER arriving at 06h00 and once safely berthed it was determined that a wooden plank had come loose causing the trawler to flood. As the engine room had flooded the floor boards had come loose and the floating floorboards in the confined space of the engine room had smashed the motor parts and engine parts causing the vessel to lose all motor power.In the flat harbour water the lie of the vessel leaves the missing plank above the water line so safely berthed no further assistance is required and they will be able to repair the plank without bringing the vessel onto a dry dock. Picture Gavin Kode/NSRI. Picture Gavin Kode. Fishing Vessel Oceana Amethyst (Picture: Ian Klopper/NSRI) Fishing Vessel Oceana Amethyst (Picture: Ian Klopper/NSRI) TO REPORT A SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY DIAL 112 FROM A CELLPHONE.SMS 32287 with your name and a message of support for our Sea Rescue crew.