21 fishermen saved after their vessel caught fire

At 17h52, Monday, 12 January, NSRI Gqeberha duty crew were activated following a public member eyewitness reporting to NSRI's EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), via the 112 national emergency number, of a fishing vessel ablaze approximately 1 nautical mile offshore of Noordhoek, Gqeberha.

NSRI crew were alerted to respond to the NSRI Gqeberha station 6 rescue base while NSRI shore crew were directed to respond directly to Noordhoek.

At the same time NSRI Gqeberha duty controllers, Telkom Maritime Radio Services, and vessels at sea in the area at the time, intercepted a Mayday distress call on VHF marine channel 16 - from the local fishing vessel Silver Dorado - reporting a fire onboard and all of her 21 crew preparing to abandon the vessel.

A local member of Noordhoek ski-boat club then also called NSRI alerting to the same information of a fishing vessel appearing to be well alight offshore of Noordhoek.

NSRI Gqeberha  dispatched NSRI rescue swimmers and our NSRI rescue vehicle to respond to Noordhoek while the NSRI rescue craft Bay Guardian and Rescue 6 Alpha were launched and responded.

EC Government Health EMS and the SA Police Services were alerted and responded to Noordhoek and responded to the NSRI rescue base at the Port of Port Elizabeth.

TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Port Elizabeth Port Control, SAMSA (South African Maritime Safety Authority)  and MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) were alerted.

Telkom Maritime Radio Services broadcast an all ships alert on marine VHF channel 16, relaying the Mayday distress call, alerting vessels in the area to divert to assist survivors reported to be abandoning the casualty fishing vessel.

A local fishing vessel, Leguga, arriving on the scene, launched their own life-raft to assist fishermen casualties who were in the water near to their burning fishing vessel.

All 21 fishermen had abandoned the burning vessel into the sea.

At least another 5 fishing vessels, who had intercepted the Mayday distress call and subsequent relayed Mayday distress calls, arrived on the scene where the fishing vessel Legugu had at that stage managed to recover 12 fishermen from their life-raft and from the sea.

The fishing vessel Raka rescued 4 fishermen, the fishing vessel Maverick rescued 4 fishermen, and the fishing vessel Vulcan rescued 1 fisherman.

All 21 casualty crew were rescued by the local fishing vessels that had gone to her assistance.
All 21 crew were reported to be accounted for and safe.
We believe that all 21 fishermen are South African.

It appears that a fire from undetermined causes spread fast after being discovered onboard by the skipper. We believe all remaining 20 crew were in bunks resting in preparation to reaching fishing grounds. We believe the skipper alerted his crew and they were forced to abandon ship without having time to launch their own life-raft but the skipper was able to dispatch a Mayday distress VHF radio call.

NSRI rescue craft, arriving on the scene, found all 21 casualty crew on 4 fishing vessels.
NSRI transferred the casualty crew from the 4 fishing vessels onto NSRI's rescue craft Bay Guardian.
The 21 casualty crew transferred onto the NSRI rescue craft Bay Guardian were transferred in relays by the NSRI rescue craft Rescue 6 Alpha.

All 21 men were brought to the NSRI rescue base - at the Port of Port Elizabeth - they were all medically assessed by EMS paramedics and all casualty crew were confirmed to be not injured and requiring no medical care.

The casualty fishing vessel drifted towards Cape Recife still well ablaze.
The NSRI rescue craft Rescue 6 Alpha monitored the fishing vessel - predicting her drift and speed, well ablaze, on behalf of SAMSA.

It appears that the casualty vessel is in the vicinity of a reef near to Cape Recife and still ablaze.

SAMSA has informed that the owners have appointed a salvage and spill response company who are monitoring and attempting to gain access to the vessel but are hampered at present by the dangerous reef and darkness (the situation during the night) - this is in progress.

The cause of the casualty fishing vessel fire will be investigated by SAMSA (South African Maritime Safety Authority) and by Police.

An all ships alert - warning of the navigational hazard at sea - is broadcast by Telkom Maritime Radio Services.

The casualty fishing vessel had departed the Port of Port Elizabeth earlier - heading to fishing grounds.

The bystanders who swiftly raised the alarm, the swift response of NSRI, Port Control and Telkom Maritime Radio Services, and the swift efforts of the local fishing vessels that rescued the 21 fishermen, is commended for saving all 21 crew.