Cape Town - Twenty-six Hout Bay fishermen disembarked safely from their fishing vessel after it caught alight just after midnight on Friday, the NSRI said.
NSRI Simon’s Town was activated by the NSRI Emergency Operating Centre after reports of a 35-metre support vessel ablaze south of Cape Point.
Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre and Telkom Maritime Radio Services responded to a call for help as the estimated 80-ton fishing vessel caught fire. All shipping traffic in the area was diverted to the scene.
On arrival, the crews reportedly found all the fishermen in life rafts in rough seas. Everyone was loaded on to the fishing vessel, Umfondini.
NSRI Simon’s Town station commander Simon McDonnel said: “All 26 fishermen were brought to the shelter of Buffels Bay, where they were transferred from Umfondini on to the NSRI Simon’s Town rescue craft Donna Nicholas and brought to NSRI Simon’s Town without incident. They were transported by road to their home base in Hout Bay. NSRI commended the swift response of all involved.”
A few hours later, NSRI Hout Bay and NSRI Kommetjie returned to the scene as the vessel was reportedly seen adrift in a north-westerly direction and was at risk of running aground in the surrounding area of Scarborough.
The teams were sent to try to hold it offshore at its expected time of 8pm until the tug boat arrived. On arrival, the smouldering vessel was found drifting towards shore but appeared to be at no risk of sinking.
NSRI rescue swimmers were deployed and a tow-line was rigged to the casualty vessel from NSRI Hout Bay’s rescue craft, Nadine Gordimer, the NSRI said.
It said they were able to use sea currents to gently tow the vessel away from land and hold her off-shore until the tugboat Strandloper arrived .
The tow-line was transferred to the Strandloper which towed the vessel to deep sea until Saturday when, during the morning, it towed the vessel and moored her at a berth on the sea side of Hout Bay Harbour pier, the NSRI said.
Samsa, Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services, and a salvage company secured barriers around the vessel to prevent pollution spill although there remains no signs of any oil or diesel leakage, spills or outfall, it said.