- Edited by Bev Mortimer
A fisherman lost his life in a boating accident and two crew members were taken to hospital after a boating accident on Saturday this past weekend.
NSRI Hout Bay’s station commander, Spencer Oldham, said the three NSRI stations, stations 10, 8 and 26 – Simonstown, Hout Bay and Kommetjie respectively were activated following reports of a fisherman missing at Brightwaters, on the Atlantic side of Cape Point on 20 April.
The boat had capsized early morning 1.5 nautical miles South of Olifantsbospunt and the skipper was missing. It appears the boat may have been swamped by a wave before running aground on the shoreline.
The NSRI duty crew found the beached boat and organised an extensive sea and shoreline search for the missing 39 year-old skipper from Oceanview.
During the search the skipper’s was located between 30-50 meters off-shore at Brightwaters and recovered onto a NSRI rescue craft.
Two crewmen men who reported the incident said the boat capsized in dense fog at had reached shore. The boat washed ashore, but there were no signs of the skipper and they feared that he was missing in the surf zone.
SAN Parks rangers then raised the alarm by calling CMR. NSRI rescue vehicles and volunteer duty crew from the three stations responded
Metro Control activated the WC Government Health EMS rescue squad ‘drone rescue unit and NSRI alerted the SAPS Sea Borderline Control and SAPS Water Policing and Diving Services. A police patrol vehicle responded. And City of Cape Town , Law Enforcement Marine Unit and Transnet National Ports Authority were alerted.
Telkom Maritime Radio Services and NSRI Emergency Operations Centre) assisted with communications and marine VHF communications were also assisted by the NSRI rescue vehicles that were on the scene.
A CMR ambulance and paramedic responded to Cape Point Main gate where the 2 men, aged 29 and 17, from Hout Bay, were treated by CMR and transported to hospital suffering injuries but in stable condition. They are both recovering.
The skipper’s body was taken to NSRI Hout Bay rescue station aboard the NSRI rescue craft in the care of NSRI crew and then taken in the care of Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.
Family were assisted at NSRI Hout Bay rescue station by NSRI Hout Bay rescue crew, the Forensic Pathology Services and by the Police who opened an inquest docket. Condolences were conveyed to family and friends of the deceased man.
The casualty boat is said to be in the care of TMNP rangers
