Fatal Incident on Fishing Vessel Near Port Alfred; Medical Evacuations in Simon’s Town and Durban; Yacht Assisted in Plettenberg Bay

PORT ALFRED: Gerrit Cloete, NSRI Port Alfred station commander, said:

NSRI Port Alfred duty crew were activated on Saturday, 12 July, at 18h37, following reports of a medical emergency onboard a Chokka fishing vessel heading towards Port Alfred.

NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre), TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port Health authorities and Telkom Maritime Radio Services were alerted.

The NSRI rescue craft Lotto Rescuer, accompanied by an NSRI rescue paramedic, was launched - using white illuminating flares to exit through the Kowie River Mouth in heavy sea swells, and rendezvoused with the vessel where the rescue paramedic and NSRI rescue crew boarded the vessel.

The patient, a local fisherman, age 36, was sadly declared deceased.

The SA Police Services were alerted and in cooperation with Police the body of the man was brought to shore onboard the NSRI rescue craft.

The body of the man was taken into the care of Police and Government Health Forensic Pathology Services.

Police have opened an Inquest docket although causes of death appear to be from natural causes.

Condolences are conveyed to family, friends and colleagues of the deceased man.

NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), NSRI Port Alfred duty controllers, WC Government Health EMS, TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Port Elizabeth Port Control, the Port Health Authority, the SA Police Services, Police Sea Bordeline Control and Telkom Maritime Radio Services, assisted MRCC in the logistics and coordination of the operation.

SIMONS TOWN

Simon McDonnell, NSRI Simons Town station commander, said:

NSRI Simons Town duty controllers were alerted on Wednesday, 9 July, to prepare for the medical evacuation of a 33 year old Cape Town fisherman suffering a medical complaint on a local commercial fishing trawler.

At that stage the vessel was 70 nautical miles South of Cape Point and was instructed by MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre), in communications assisted by Telkom Maritime Radio Services and in communications with WC Government Health EMS Metro Control and an Metro EMS duty doctor, to head towards False Bay.

On Thursday morning, 10 July, the NSRI rescue craft Donna Nicholas was launched at 06h00, accompanied by NSRI MEX crew, a CMR rescue paramedic and an NSRI rescue paramedic, and rendezvoused with the vessel In the vicinity offshore of Roman Rock, False Bay, where the rescue paramedics and NSRI MEX (Maritime Extrication) crew were transferred aboard the vessel.

The patient was stabilised and assisted by the ships crew and the rescue crew he was transferred onto the NSRI rescue craft and brought to our NSRI Simons Town station 10 rescue base.

In a stable condition the patient was transported to hospital by a Z-Med ambulance.

The operation was completed at 07h30.

NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), NSRI Simonstown duty controllers, WC Government Health EMS, A Metro EMS duty doctor and Metro EMS Control, TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Table Bay Port Control, the Port Health Authority, the SA Police Services, Police Sea Bordeline Control and Telkom Maritime Radio Services, assisted MRCC in the logistics and coordination of the medical evacuation operation.

DURBAN:

Clifford Ireland, NSRI Durban duty coxswain, said:
 
At 10h30, Thursday, 10 July, NSRI Durban duty crew and Red Line Response ambulance services were placed on alert by MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) to prepare for a medical evacuation operation of a 46 year old Indonesian male seafarer, suffering a medical emergency, from a 30 meter motor fishing vessel headed towards Durban.
 
At that stage the motor vessel was 422 nautical miles from Durban with an expected time of arrival offshore of the Port of Durban at 11h00 on Friday.
 
During Friday NSRI Durban were notified that due to heavy storm seas the fishing vessel had reduced speed and was expected at around 06h30 on Saturday morning.
NSRI Durban were monitoring the weather forecast closely and a strong storm front was expected to pass Durban at 10:00 on the Friday night and heavy seas and winds in excess of 30 knots were forecast for the Saturday morning. The Duty coxswain discussed contingency plans with the TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Durban Port Captain for the potential allow the casualty vessel to approach into the lee of the harbour entrance channel should the weather conditions in the morning not be conducive for the operation.
 
On Saturday morning at 06h30 the NSRI Durban rescue craft Alick Rennie, accompanied by a Red Line Response rescue paramedic, was launched.

At the time the casualty vessel was still 12NM from the Durban Port and making 6.5 knots. The Alick Rennie proceeded to sea and made way towards the casualty vessel where it was noted that the sea conditions were over 3.5 meter swells with seas and winds gusting above 30 knots. The Duty Coxswain of the Alick Rennie determine that it would not be safe to do the extrication at sea and the contingency plan from the night before was put into effect.
 
In close co-operation with the TNPA VTS the casualty vessel was escorted by the Alick Rennie to the harbour entrance, an operation made more difficult by the language barriers and as such hand signals were used between NSRI and the ships crew to manage the operations movements.
 
In half meter sea swells, driving rain and strong gusting winds, the NSRI rescue craft Alick Rennie was brought alongside the casualty vessel at 08h20 adjacent to the harbour entrance. Fortunately, at this time the harbour was closed to other shipping traffic due to the high winds.
 
The Red Line Response rescue paramedic was transferred onto the vessel and the patient, suffering a medical condition, in a stable condition, secured into a life-jacket, safety harness and safety line, was transferred onto our rescue craft.
 
In the care of paramedic the patient was brought safely to our NSRI Durban station 5 rescue base and he was transported to hospital by Red Line Response ambulance for further medical care.
 
The patient is expected to make a full recovery.

NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), NSRI Durban duty controllers, WC Government Health EMS, Red Line ambulance services, TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Durban Port Control, the Port Health Authority, Police Sea Bordeline Control and Telkom Maritime Radio Services, assisted MRCC in the logistics and coordination of the medical evacuation operation. 

PLETTENBERG BAY:

Ross Badenhorst, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty coxswain, said:

On Friday, 11 July, at 13h08, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were activated following alerts to a local sailing yacht, sailing from East London to Mossel Bay, in difficulties and requesting a tow.

NSRI Knysna and NSRI Mossel Bay were placed on alert.

An NSRI rescue craft was launched and following a search the sailing, with 2 South African male sailors onboard, was located.

All was found to be in order onboard the sailing yacht and the sailing crew opted to head towards Plettenberg Bay to shelter from weather.

NSRI Plettenberg Bay returned to base and monitored their progress.

On Saturday, after communications with the sailing yacht were lost, assisted by NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), Telkom Maritime Radio Services and local fishing vessels, efforts resumed to locate the sailing yacht and establish communications to determine their wellbeing.

They were located in the vicinity where they had been pushed off course by strong winds and heavy swells to offshore of Natures Valley. 

The sailing crew had issued a Mayday distress call reporting to be struggling in heavy weather conditions.

An NSRI Plettenberg Bay rescue craft responded and on arrival on the scene NSRI crew were transferred onto the sailing yacht and assisted the 2 men to sail their yacht to Plettenberg Bay where she remains at anchor offshore of Plettenberg Bay pending repairs.