On Saturday, 21 February, NSRI Hermanus duty crew were activated following a request for assistance from 4 local men onboard a RHIB (rigid hull inflatable boat) reporting motor mechanical failure.
The skipper reported that they were conducting sea trials on the boat when the craft experienced motor failure offshore of Hardebaai just outside the breaker line, close inshore.
NSRI Hermanus duty crew responded to our NSRI Hermanus station 17 rescue base and we launched the NSRI rescue craft Leonard Smith.
While responding to the scene the skipper confirmed that they had successfully deployed an anchor.
On arrival on the scene we found all 4 men were safe, at anchor, at the back breaker line, and all wearing life-jackets.
An NSRI rescue swimmer was deployed into the water establishing a towline before being recovered from the water.
We towed the casualty craft to Hermanus Harbour without incident and assisted the 4 men to recover their craft.
The casualties, the skipper and his 3 crew, have been commended for being well prepared for an emergency despite only intending to conduct brief sea trials on their boat - and for swiftly raising the alarm and managing to anchor their craft before reaching the danger of the wave line.
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