The NSRI came to the rescue of 12 crew members after their fishing boat ran aground on the south-western side of Robben Island.
|||Cape Town - Twelve crew members were rescued after their fishing boat ran aground on the south-western side of Robben Island, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said on Tuesday.
“They were transported to Robben Island's Murray Bay harbour and treatment for hypothermia and shock was commenced,” NSRI spokesman Craig Lambinon said.
All 12 were men aged between 18 and 52, Lambinon said.
“It appears that the vessel lost motor power and they were drifting ashore in stormy seas with five to six metre breaking swells,” he said.
“The situation intensified when it became clear that the vessel was hard aground on rocks... casualty crew had no further choice and they began to abandon ship under their captain's instruction.”
Rescue operations ended at about 5.17am.
The South African Maritime Safety Authority would investigate the vessel's environmental impact and chances of salvaging it, Lambinon said. - Sapa