The six fishermen who went missing at sea off Cape Town at the weekend have been found safe, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) confirmed on Tuesday.
The men are believed to be from Hout Bay and Hawston in the Western Cape.
An extensive search operation was under way for the men who went missing on Saturday while on board a grey Ballistic 7.8 metre rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) named ‘Berta Fishing Experience’.
They were reported missing by concerned family, colleagues, and friends on Sunday.
The NSRI communications in cooperation with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) and the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) said the men were recovered off Cape Point.
“In an extensive search and rescue operation involving multiple resources, reaching in excess of 80 nautical miles south-east of Cape Point, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) Fisheries Patrol vessel Ellen Khuzwayo located and recovered the six missing fishermen deep sea off Cape Point. They are reportedly all in good health and not injured. At this stage we expect them to arrive in Simon’s Town at around 10am today (local time),” the agencies said.
The NSRI crew in Simon’s Town has launched a rescue craft and will be escorting the fishermen on the last leg of their journey to Simon’s Town.
NSRI spokesperson, Craig Lambinon lauded the maritime community for a sterling job.
“The support and efforts of the maritime community as well as the extensive search carried out by DFFE Fisheries Patrol vessels Ellen Khuzwayo and Ruth First who extensively searched a plotted search grid taking sea drift, wind speeds, and direction into account, by MRCC SAR Coordinator, is commended in the successful rescue operation,” Lambinon said.
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