UPDATE: Extensive Search Underway for Missing Sailing Vessel Katouska Off Eastern Cape Coast

The sailing yacht and both her crew are offshore of the Port of East London - they are safe - they were escorted and assisted by NSRI East London from deep sea during the afternoon / conditions are not favourable for them to come into the harbour at present - it appears that they have opted to stay offshore overnight and may come into Port in the morning / the priority is that they are safe - Craig Lambinon NSRI COMMS 0823803800

See media statement below...

Extensive search operations are ongoing for 2 men, German citizens (one with dual American citizenship) offshore deep sea between East London and Gqeberha.

The 42 foot blue and black sailing vessel, Katouska, last Port of call Mauritius, in VHF marine radio communications, sent a Mayday distress call in the early hours of Thursday morning.

OSASA (Ocean Sailing Association of South Africa) had confirmed that the intentions of the 2 sailors was to head towards East London.

Their mayday distress call was intercepted by Telkom Maritime Radio Services.

They indicated to NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre)  and MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) that they were taking on water and in distress.

A rescue operation was activated from NSRI East London when the 2 sailors indicated that they had stemmed the ingress of water and were rigging sails in efforts to get to the Port of East London.

As a precaution NSRI East London launched the NSRI rescue craft Spirit of Lotto to meet with them (they were believed to be, at that stage, approximately 20 nautical miles offshore of Kei Mouth. Eastern Cape) to escort them to East London, when at daybreak on Thursday morning all communications were lost with the 2 crew onboard the sailing vessel Katouska.

An extensive search operation, coordinated by MRCC, assisted by NSRI East London, NSRI EOC, Telkom Maritime Radio Services, NSRI East London rescue craft, multiple vessels at sea, in the area, and NSRI coast watchers, as well as advanced search technology, plotting search grids taking into account sea drift, wind speeds and direction, that continued throughout Thursday, Thursday night and into Friday morning, hampered by storm seas with up to 8 meter sea swells and storm fronts, has revealed no signs of the sailing yacht and her 2 crew.

NSRI Port Alfred, NSRI Gqeberha and private fixed wing aircraft have joined NSRI East London, on Friday, 17 October, together with multiple private vessels, in ongoing search efforts while Telkom Maritime Radio Services continue to broadcast VHF marine radio all ships alerts requesting vessels at sea between Kei Mouth and Gqeberha to keep a sharp look-out - for the 42 foot blue and black sailing vessel.