NSRI Incidents – Gordons Bay, Hermanus, Richards Bay

In 4 operations – A fishing craft, with 5 local fishermen onboard, was saved from sinking by NSRI Gordons Bay, offshore of Strand – A sailing yacht, with 2 crew onboard, was assisted by NSRI Gordons Bay after stranding on a sand bank near to Gordons Bay Harbour – A kite boarder, assisted by a Good Samaritan on a kayak on the Klein River Lagoon, were assisted ashore by NSRI Hermanus – and A sailing yacht, drifting shorewards with 7 crew onboard, was safely towed by NSRI Richards Bay to the Zululand Yacht Club in heavy sea conditions.

The swift response and cooperation of all involved in these operations is commended.

GORDONS BAY:

Brian Gosling, NSRI Gordons Bay duty coxswain, said:

At 09h30, Sunday, 27 July, NSRI Gordons Bay duty crew were activated following a request for assistance made to NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) from a local fishing craft reporting motor mechanical failure offshore approximately 3 nautical miles from Gordons Bay Harbour, 2 nautical miles offshore of Strand, with 5 crew onboard.

Our duty crew responded to our NSRI Gordons Bay station 9 rescue base to prepare to launch the NSRI rescue craft Spirit of Surfski.

While responding to our NSRI rescue base the fishermen reported that their craft was now taking on water from unknown causes and was at risk of sinking.

NSRI Simons Town were placed on alert to respond to assist if necessary.

NSRI Simons Town crew, at the NSRI Simons Town station 10 rescue base at the time, conducting routine training, readied the NSRI Simons Town rescue craft Donna Nicholas to respond to assist if it became necessary.

The NSRI Gordons Bay rescue craft Spirit of Surfski launched, accompanied with a water extrication pump.

With our NSRI rescue craft was nearing their location the casualty fishing crew deployed an orange distress smoke flare that aided us finding them swiftly.

We rendezvoused with the casualty vessel finding all 5 fishermen concerned but safe, all in good spirits and secured into their life-jackets, and appearing to be obviously relieved to have NSRI at their side.

3 of the fishermen were transferred onto our NSRI rescue craft and the remaining 2 fishermen, the skipper and a crewman, remained on their casualty craft assisting our NSRI crew to establish a towline.

While towing the casualty craft towards Gordons Bay Harbour the ingress of water that had accumulated onboard started to drain naturally preventing any further signs of sinking.

We towed the casualty craft to Gordons Bay Harbour, on reaching the harbour rafting our rescue craft alongside, successfully bringing their casualty craft into the harbour to the slipway where we assisted to recover the casualty craft onto their trailer and no further assistance was required.

NSRI Simons Town were notified that the rescue operation was successful and they resumed routine training exercises.

The operation was completed at 12h16.

GORDONS BAY:

Ryan Holmes, NSRI Gordons Bay station commander, said:

On Friday, 25 July, in the early hours of the morning, NSRI Gordons Bay crew had noticed a sailing yacht offshore of Gordons Bay Harbour that later, as daylight broke, appeared to be attempting to enter the harbour.

Just offshore of the SA Naval College they grounded in shallow surf and the alarm was raised.

At 07h55, our duty crew responded to our NSRI Gordons Bay station 9 rescue base and launched the NSRI rescue craft Rescue 9 Charlie, accompanied by an extra anchor.

On arrival on the scene we assisted the 2 sailors to secure their sailing yacht using their anchor and using the extra anchor that we had brought along.

Once their sailing yacht safely secured the 2 sailors stayed onboard their yacht while we returned to base at around 11h00, and later, at high tide, at around 12h51, we launched the rescue craft, Spirit of Surfski, and in the high tide attempts were made to get their yacht into Gordons Bay Harbour.

It appears that from the grounding of their sailing yacht their rudder had sustained damage disabling their ability to navigate.

Using our rescue craft we rigged a towline, NSRI crew were deployed onto their sailing yacht to assist, and we towed them into Gordons Bay Harbour mooring them at our NSRI rescue base where they will attend to repairs.

The operation was completed at 15h09.

HERMANUS:

James van Rensburg, NSRI Hermanus deputy station commander, said:

At 15h10, Friday, 25 July, NSRI Hermanus duty crew were activated following eyewitness reports of a kite-boarder appearing to be in difficulties on the Klein River Lagoon.

It appeared that the kite-boarder was drifting, unable to get her kite airborne.

Our duty crew responded to our NSRI Hermanus station 17 rescue base and dispatched our rescue vehicle, towing our NSRI craft Rescue 17 Bravo, while NSRI rescue swimmers responded to the scene.

A man, a Good Samaritan on a holiday from Plattekloof to Hermanus, on his kayak, had paddled out to assist the 54 year old female.

On arrival on the scene our rescue craft was launched and assisted the kite-boarder and the Good Samaritan, with his kayak, back to shore without incident and no further assistance was required.

The Good Samaritan that assisted, who, with his wife, were also the eyewitnesses that raised the alarm and remained in contact with NSRI while we were responding, giving regular updated information, are commended for their assistance.

RICHARDS BAY:

Norman Rautenbach, NSRI Richards Bay station commander, said:

At 23h36, Friday, 25 July, NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) and NSRI Richards Bay were alerted to reports, from OSASA (Ocean Sailing Association of South Africa) and from the Commodore of the Zululand Yacht Club of a sailing yacht in difficulties North of Richards Bay.

It appears that the local sailing yacht, with 7 crew onboard, had departed Richards Bay 2 weeks ago heading Northwards when they experienced motor mechanical failure and they had turned around, returning towards Richards Bay, but nearing Richards Bay, against strong South Westerly winds, gusting in excess of 15 knots and in 3 to 4 meter rough sea swells, they requested assistance 15 nautical miles North of Richards Bay – about 4 nautical miles offshore of the lighthouse.

Our duty crew responded to our NSRI Richards Bay station 19 rescue base where the NSRI rescue craft Ocean Guardian was launched.

On arrival on the scene a towline was rigged and we towed them into the Port of Richards Bay to a safe berth at the Zululand Yacht Club and they required no further assistance.

The operation completed at 03h38.