Boating accident tragedy at Fish River Mouth

Juan Pretorius, NSRI Port Alfred station commander, said:NSRI have expressed sincere condolences to family and friends of a fisherman who lost his life at the Fish River Mouth today.At 10h53, Saturday, 06th August, NSRI Port Alfred duty crew, while conducting an exercise at sea, were activated following reports of a 16 foot cabin boat with 2 men onboard in difficulty in the Fish River Mouth.NSRI Port Alfred, the SA Police Services, Police Search and Rescue and Holistic ambulance services responded. Supreme Leisure boating company also assisted by towing the sea rescue craft to the Fish River.The Sea Rescue craft Rescue 11 Alpha was launched on the river in a strong outgoing tide and on arrival on the scene the sea rescue craft beached on a sand bank and NSRI rescuers waded to a fisherman, aged in his 50's, from Port Elizabeth, who was with the cabin boat on a sand bank.The man confirmed that his friend, aged in his 40's, from Port Elizabeth, had been swept away when their boat was being swept into the river mouth by the strong outgoing tide while they were fishing from the cabin boat on the river.They had both got out of the boat when it came to rest on a shallow sand bank when the boat had broadsided to the tide and while attempting to point the boat into the tide his friend had been swept away and disappeared.NSRI rescuers and Police Search and Rescue divers assisted the man to the shore and he is suffering from shock and he has been transported to hospital by ambulance.Fishermen at Bats Cave then confirmed that the body of the missing man had come ashore at Bats Cave.NSRI and Police secured the body of the man who has been declared deceased by paramedics and the body of the deceased man has been handed into the care of the Forensic Pathology Services and Police have opened an inquest docket.Family of the deceased man are being assisted by Police.

Fish River mouth image - David MacGregor.