Fishermen rescued after falling overboard

Published Nov 4, 2024

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Cape Town - Two fishermen were rescued on the weekend after falling overboard near Stilbaai, thanks to the quick response of their friends and the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI).

The NSRI Stilbaai duty crew was called to assist a local fishing boat, EME, which was reported to be unmanned and turning in circles off Morris Point, Stilbaai on the Cape South Coast on Saturday. NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said the NSRI Stilbaai station 31 crew launched the rescue craft JetRib - Marlene.

“On arrival on the scene we found both casualties to be safe onboard EME. NSRI coxswain Susan Grové matched the speed of the unmanned casualty vessel.

“The rescue craft rafted alongside the unmanned casualty craft, where NSRI rescue swimmer, Waldi Haarhof, calculating the sea swells, jumped from the rescue craft onto the moving casualty craft. All care and safety was observed. Fortunately sea conditions were calm with only light winds. Once onboard the casualty craft NSRI's Waldi cut the motor power and the casualty craft was brought to a halt.

“We then transferred the skipper of the casualty boat from EME back onto his own boat,” Lambinon said.

Lambinon further added that the outboard motor was restarted and, with the skipper back at the helm of his boat, the NSRI rescue craft guided the boat back to shore, where the casualty boat was recovered without incident.

“It appears that two boats had launched to go to sea together this morning to go fishing. While at sea one boat, with two local men onboard, reportedly turned around to go back to shore when one of the two men fell overboard,” Lambinon said.

Lambinon said the skipper attempted to pull his crewman back onto the boat, but he also fell out.

“It appears that during these events the kill switch had not engaged causing their boat to carry on underway while turning in circles around them.

“A refuse bag and a cooler box had fallen overboard with them.

“They inflated the refuse bag and used both the inflated refuse bag and the cooler box as floatation, but they had no way of raising the alarm.

“Fortunately, their friends on the open fishing craft EME came across them, rescued both men from the water, and raised the alarm,” he said

He explained that the quick thinking of the fishermen in using available flotation devices, the rescue operation by EME, the swift response of NSRI as well as the NSRI coxswain and rescue swimmer for safely securing the casualty boat, is commended.

Cape Argus

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