Schalk Boonzaaier, NSRI Kleinmond station commander, said:At 07h11, Saturday, 17 October, NSRI Kleinmond duty crew were activated following reports of a RHIB (Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat) washed ashore along the shoreline approximately 4 kilometers from Kleinmond and the boat is suspected to have capsized during the night.The NSRI Kleinmond sea rescue craft Jaytee III and Rescue 42 Alpha were launched and the NSRI Hermanus sea rescue craft South Star and Rotarian Burnett were diverted from a training exercise to join in the search.A sea and shoreline search commenced for what was initially believed to be 4 missing men.NSRI Gordons Bay duty crew and NSRI ASR (Airborne Sea Rescue) rescue swimmers were placed on alert.The SA Police Services, WC Government Health EMS and Overberg Fire and Rescue Services were activated.The casualty RHIB was located by rescue authorities where it had washed up on the beach.During the search it was confirmed that only 3 men, believed to be from Hawston, had been on the boat during the night.Sadly the body of one of the missing men was located and secured on the beach near to where the casualty boat was found.NSRI rescue swimmers waded into the surf in that same vicinity and while rescue swimmers conducted sweeping line search efforts in the surfline the sea rescue craft continued in a sea search.During an ongoing search sadly the bodies of the remaining 2 missing men were located and recovered.The body of one the men was located floating in the surfline and the body was recovered onto the beach by NSRI rescue swimmers.The body of one man was located floating in the surline and the body of that man was recovered onto our sea rescue craft and brought to shore.The bodies were located a distance apart from each other along the shoreline.The 3 bodies that were located and recovered have been declared deceased by paramedics and they are confirmed to be the men who had been reported missing.The bodies of the 3 deceased men have been taken into the care of Police and WC Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.Police have opened an inquest docket.Condolences are conveyed to the families of the deceased men.
-ENDS-
