Dog, Owner, Daughter Adrift in 40 Knots – NSRI to the Rescue

Cathrine Prentis , NSRI East London station commander, said: At 07h00, Saturday, 2 August, NSRI East London duty crew were alerted by TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of East London Port Control, who had intercepted VHF marine radio communications, between Telkom Maritime Radio Services and a foreign sailing yacht, indicating the sailing vessel to not be under command and adrift 21 nautical miles South East of East London.

Our duty crew responded to our NSRI East London station 7 rescue base to prepare the NSRI rescue craft Spirit of Lotto to be launched.

Further details regarding the status of the sailing yacht had been received by NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), from MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre), indicating that in communications with Telkom Maritime Radio Services the skipper, from Switzerland, his adult daughter, from Germany, and their dog, a registered guide dog – a Labrador, were adrift with motor mechanical failure, hampered by damaged sails, in 40 knot South Easterly winds and in excess of 6 meter swells – requiring urgent assistance.

Our NSRI rescue craft Spirit of Lotto was launched and rendezvoused with the 16 meter sailing vessel at 11h08, 21 nautical miles South East of East London, finding the crew to be exhausted but safe, adrift with no motor power in heavy sea conditions and compromised by damaged sails that could not be lowered.

A towline was established but in gusting gale force winds and heavy sea conditions, due to hard points coming loose and the rope chafing, after readjusting the towline 5 times and after the towline snapped a second time, the decision was taken for the sailing crew to abandon their vessel into their life-raft, taking what minimal belongings they could, under extremely difficult conditions and circumstances.

They successfully abandoned their vessel into their life-raft and were rescued from their life-raft and transferred onto the rescue craft at around 18h47.

Priority Care ambulance services were activated to stand-by at our NSRI rescue base.

The dad, his daughter and their dog were safely brought to our rescue base where they were medically assessed by paramedics and not injured they required no medical care.

A local hotel in East London are commended for providing accommodation for the dad, daughter and their dog, on Saturday night, and they have been moved on Sunday into the care of local authorities while their respective consulates and local authorities provide logistical support to determine a way forward for the family.

Southern Cape Tourist assist, Ndlambe Municipality, Eastern Cape Tourist assist and the Swiss and German Consulates are commended for their assistance.

On Sunday a local private fixed wing aircraft volunteered to try to locate the drifting unmanned sailing yacht and searched up to 10 nautical miles offshore, between East London and Port Alfred, but no signs of the unmanned sailing yacht was located. The private aircraft pilot and crew are commended for their assistance.

The unmanned sailing vessel is expected to drift down the coastline past Gqeberha.

A local vet is attending to the families dog that is in good health and in the care of veterinary staff.

This extensive effort by NSRI East London to save the family and the support of local community that has rallied together, and the authorities, to assist this family, is commended.

An all ships alert warning of the navigational hazard of the unmanned sailing yacht adrift at sea is continuing to be broadcast on VHF marine radio by Telkom Maritime Radio Services.

NSRI are appealing to the maritime community to report any sighting of the unmanned sailing vessel IZMA, 16 meters in length, white in colour with a blue stripe on the pilot house – to Telkom Maritime Radio Services on marine VHF channel 16 or call NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) tel: +27870949774 or to TNPA Port Control or to MRCC tel: +27219383300.