PORT EDWARD:John Nicholas, NSRI Port Edward duty coxswain, said:At 16h27, Sunday, 5 July, NSRI Port Edward duty crew were activated following a request for assistance from a commercial fishing boat reporting that they were standing-by at a fellow commercial fishing boat which had engine failure to one of her two motors, with 9 crew onboard off-shore of the Transkei coast, 14 nautical miles from Port Edward.The fellow fishing commercial boat had taken 4 of the 9 crew off the casualty commercial fishing boat and was accompanying the casualty boat that was motoring under only one motor and limping towards Port Edward with 5 crew remaining onboard.Medi-Vac ambulance Service had responded to our Port Edward sea rescue base to assist with their rescue craft God's Grace and NSRI Shelly Beach dispatched an NSRI coxswain to assist.The rescue craft God's Grace stood by ready to launch if required.NSRI Port Edward duty crew launched the sea rescue craft jet-rib Sea Ranger 3.The casualty boat, with her reduced crew onboard, was able to limp to the backline off-shore of Port Edward where our sea rescue craft Sea Ranger 3 met up with them and in 2 relays 2 casualty crew at a time were taken off the casualty boat and brought to shore through the 2 to 2.5 meter breaking swells.The fellow commercial fishing boat beached without incident with the 4 casualty crew that they had taken off the casualty boat.The casualty boat was able to negotiate through the swells and beached safely with only the skipper remaining on the casualty boat.With all crew safely ashore and the casualty boat recovered no further assistance was required.NSRI commend the commercial fishing Jabulani and her who assisted the casualty boat in this operation.NSRI commend Medi-Vac ambulance service for standing by to assist with the rescue craft God's Grace.
KZN SOUTH COASTDuring the response to the Port Edward call multiple eye-witness reports were received by NSRI duty controllers of a ship appearing to have exploded and ablaze deep sea off-shore of the KZN South Coast coastline.MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre), Transnet National Ports Authority and Telkom Maritime Radio Services were alerted and they confirmed that no ships were at sea at the time in that area.NSRI coastwatchers and NSRI shore crew were able to get visuals of what the eye-witnesses were reporting and it was confirmed that the full moon rising over the horizon had given the impression of an explosion and a fire at sea.
GRANGER BAY:Robyn Silverstone NSRI Table Bay duty controller, said:At 16h35, Sunday, 5 July, NSRI Table Bay duty crew were activated following eye-witness reports of a surfer appearing to be in difficulty swimming towards Granger Bay from Thermos surf spot, between Granger Bay and Green Point Lighthouse.It appeared that the surfer had lost his his surfboard while surfing at Thermos and later it was revealed that the surfboard leash had snapped.NSRI Table Bay duty crew responded to the NSRI sea rescue base at the V&A Waterfront to prepare to launch the sea rescue craft Spirit of Day.NSRI Table Bay shore crew and an NSRI Bakoven rescue swimmer responded directly to the scene and NSRI Bakoven duty crew were placed on alert.A fellow surfer had gone to the casualty surfers aid.The casualty surfer was able to swim to rocks and then in a lull between the incoming sets he managed to reach the Dolosse at the Radisson Blu hotel and he was helped out of the water at the hotel where our NSRI crew met up with him.The casualty surfer, a local male, was cold and exhausted but after being rewarmed with a cup of hot chocolate provided to him by staff at
Radisson Blu hotel he required no further assistance.The lost surfboard was smashed after being washed up against the rocks and was not recovered.
