Nine men and one 75 year-old woman were brought safely to shore on the NSRI Shelley Beach sea rescue craft today, 7 August, after one of the motors of the boat they were on ceased to function.
The passengers from Gauteng were on board a charter boat , Rip Tide, just offshore of Shelley Beach. The skipper was not going to take the chance of compromising his passengers safety by bringing the boat in through the surf using only one motor.
Mark Harlen, NSRI Shelly Beach station commander, said at 2.34 pm today volunteer sea rescue duty crew were activated following a request for assistance from the skipper of the charter boat. Besides the 10 passengers he also had another crew member on board.
The NSRI crew launched their sea rescue craft Caltex Challenger Ii and met up with Rip Tide. All passengers were then taken to shore
The NSRI crew then took a spare propellor blade to Rip Tide. With the assistance of fellow local charter boater, Wayne Marsh, the propellor was changed and the engine repaired. The boat then managed to get to shore using both motors.
(edited)
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