Vessel taking on water assisted by NSRI Port Alfred

NSRI Port Alfred duty crew were activated following a request for urgent assistance from a commercial fishing vessel reporting that they were diverting to respond towards a ski-boat, with 2 local men onboard, that was reporting to be taking on water and at risk of sinking approximately 5 nautical miles southwest of Port Alfred.

The crew on the casualty boat had phoned the skipper on the commercial fishing vessel, requesting him to raise the alarm and to divert to assist them.

Our duty crew responded to our NSRI Port Alfred station 11 rescue base, where we launched the NSRI rescue craft Lotto Challenger.

We rendezvoused with the casualty boat 4 nautical miles offshore.

On arrival on the scene, we found the 2 men on board wearing life jackets. Their boat was still semi-afloat and underway, but with water gushing out from the fish hatch.

Finding them to be reasonably safe, NSRI escorted them towards Port Alfred, but while heading towards the Kowie River Mouth, both of the casualty boat's outboard motors failed.

Both men were transferred onto our rescue craft, and a towline was established to their boat.

We towed their boat to the Port Alfred Small Boat Harbour, where we assisted the owner in recovering the boat onto her trailer, and no further assistance was required.

It appears that their boat suffered a hull fracture, causing a sudden ingress of water. They reported that they were hearing an unfamiliar noise coming from the hull while slowly motoring towards Port Alfred when their boat suddenly experienced an ingress of water through the fish hatch.

The commercial fishing boat that raised the alarm is commended for their assistance.