ARNISTON:Reinard Geldenhuys, NSRI Agulhas station commander, said:At 23h55, Wednesday 20 January, NSRI Agulhas and NSRI Witsand duty crews were activated following reports of a Yacht run aground near to Skipskop, between Arniston and the De Hoop Nature Reserve.The skipper, a 20 year old male, from Bloemfontein, who had been solo sailing from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth, was reportedly still onboard the vessel which was reported to be taking on water.The location of the man was determined to be offshore of the Overberg Test Range area.NSRI Agulhas duty crew launched the sea rescue craft Spirit of Agulhas and NSRI Witsand duty crew launched the sea rescue Breede Rescuer and an NSRI shore side search party and Overberg Fire and Rescue Services were sent landwards to the vicinity to search along the shoreline.NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) and MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) investigated the availability of a helicopter to prepare for a night operation in the event that the casualty vessel was not reachable from the sea or from the land side.Using a location pin that was provided by the casualty skipper the rescue crew on the shore found the skipper about 500 meters off the coastline near to Ryspunt.The area was illuminated and it was found that the yacht had run aground in an area of ancient fish traps, known as Visfywers (these are old structures were built in a bygone era).With the assistance from the rescue crew on the shore the skipper was able to navigate the fish trap structures and he made his way safely to shore where he was met by the shore rescue crew.The man was assessed for injuries and for hypothermia and not injured we accommodated him at our NSRI Agulhas sea rescue station in Struisbaai and he is doing well.The 2 sea rescue craft were stood down and on Thursday the skipper is investigating what has become of his yacht which is suspected to be run aground.The operation completed at 04h30.
ROOI ELS:Alan Meiklejohn, NSRI Gordons Bay station commander, said:At 07h14, Wednesday, 20 January, NSRI Gordons Bay duty crew were activated following reports of a fishing boat capsized off-shore of Rooi Els with 6 crew onboard.NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) and MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) investigated vessels that were in the area at that time and Telkom Maritime Radio Services assisted with VHF Marine radio communications.Prior to our sea rescue craft launching it was confirmed that 3 local men had been rescued from the water and 3 local men men were rescued from the upturned of their boat by a fellow fishing boat.GB Med Security ambulance services were activated.All 6 men were accounted for and they were reported to not being injured.They were brought to Gordons Bay aboard the fishing vessel that rescued them and another fishing vessel towed the casualty boat to Gordons Bay harbour.Once in Gordons Bay our NSRI duty crew launched the sea rescue craft Spirit of Surfski and we ferried the 6 men to shore where they checked by GB Med Security paramedics and they were released requiring no further assistance and their casualty boat was righted and recovered.NSRI commend the crews of the fishing boats that assisted on the scene.
