The body of a man was found trapped under water in Gill fishing nets in Hermanus this morning (9 September 2012).
Not far from the deceased man was a capsized fishing boat with a small out board engine.
An appeal has been put out for help in identifying the man. NSRI Hermanus says there is concern there may be additional people missing. “We appeal to anyone who knows of the small row boat Orion, with a small outboard engine, that had perhaps launched to fish using fishing nets on the Fisherhaven Lagoon during last night or this morning.”
According to NSRI Hermanus volunteers, duty crew were activated at 10.03 this morning following reports from a paddler who found the small boat on Fisherhaven Lagoon, near Hermanus, approximately 200 meters from the Lagoon Mouth.
NSRI crew towed the sea rescue craft Hunters Gold Rescuer to the scene, launched onto the lagoon and recovered the boat . It was then that the body was discovered in the Gill nets. It was handed recovered and handed over to the SAP and Forensic Pathology Services.
It appears the unidentified man is aged in his late twenties or early thirties. It is suspected the boat may have overturned during the night or in the early hours of this morning.
The fisherman was found wearing blue overall pants and a black rain jacket with three layers of clothing underneath.
The name of the small boat is Orion . It is unknown if there was anyone else on the boat. A search of the area has not revealed any other people.
Authorities are appealing to the family of the deceased man or anyone who can assist in identifying who the small boat belongs to, to call the SAP investigating officer, Constable Swem, at Hermanus Police Station – 0283138500 or 0283138549 or 0283138522.
The NSRI says the concern is for the welfare of the family of the deceased man and sea rescue authorities.
A Police Dive Unit has been placed on alert to assist in a search if it comes to light that there were more people on the boat when it may have capsized.
(Edited)
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The last time I looked, that lagoon didn’t have a mouth. It is one seriously silted up river! Hopefully the same fate doesn’t await the Kromme …..
200 metres from the beach – water couldn’t be very deep there.
Sandvlei (Muizenberg) as well. Seriously clogged channel – and that’s had a miserable effect on the fishing.
Why would anyone use gill nets in a lagoon?
Confusing – the lagoon at Hermanus is the Klein River, whereas this occurred at Fisherhaven which is closer to Onrus. So the boat was washed out to sea from the lagoon then?
Any updates on this story?