Yacht aground, 1 survivor and 2 deceased

SEA RESCUE – West Coast – Tuesday, 02 February. Names released.

NSRI, the Police and the emergency services have expressed sincerest condolences to the families and friends of George Mills, 61, from Scotland and Rachel Daly, 49, from Ireland. Both sadly lost their lives in a yachting accident on the West Coast of Cape Town in the early hours of Monday.PJ Daly, the husband of Rachel, survived the accident and was able to get to shore to raise the alarm.The survivor and the families of the deceased continue to be supported by the authorities involved in the incident.Members of the public involved at the scene, NSRI Yzerfontein, Police and the emergency services who attended the scene and Police, the British and Irish Foreign Consulates and friends of the victims who assisted with support are commended for their roles in this incident.See original media statement below.

At 04h31 on Monday the 1st of February, NSRI Yzerfontein, NSRI Melkbosstrand and NSRI Table Bay duty crews were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) following reports of a yacht capsized between Bokpunt and Gansekraal (between Melkbosstrand and Yzerfontein) on the West Coast, Western Cape, South Africa.An NSRI Melkbosstrand sea rescue craft was launched and NSRI rescue vehicles, from Yzerfontein and Melkbosstrand, the SA Police Services, WC Government Health EMS and an EMS rescue squad and a Police Dive Unit responded.NSRI Table Bay's deep sea rescue craft was placed on alert.On arrival on the scene the local yacht Tara was found broken up in amongst rocks on the shore line.It is unknown what caused the yacht to run aground and it could not be confirmed if it had capsized before running aground. SAMSA (South African Maritime Safety Authority) will investigate.There were three crew members on-board the yacht reportedly sailing from Langebaan to Cape Town.A survivor, a 66 year male, an Irish citizen, a resident in the Western Cape, had managed to get to shore and he had raised the alarm. He was not injured.The bodies of a 61 year old male, a Scottish Citizen, and a 49 year old female, an Irish Citizen, both residents in the Western Cape, were located and recovered from the scene and Paramedics confirmed that they were both deceased. Their bodies have been taken into the care of the Forensic Pathology Services.An inquest docket has been opened by Police.Family are being assisted by foreign consulates and Sincerest Condolences are expressed to family and friends by all emergency services involved in the operation today.These pictures are available for media download on Sea Rescue's Flickr page.