Group of people lost at sea for two days off Cape Point, found: SAMSA

Pretoria: 26 March 2024

A sea search for a group of six (6) people reportedly lost at sea since Saturday was concluded after they were successfully rescued on Monday evening, the South African Maritime Safety Authority announced on Tuesday.

According to the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) at SAMSA’s Cape Town based Centre for Sea Watch & Response, the survivors were found and rescued during a search operation involving Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) vessels, the research vessel ELLEN KHUZWAYO and in-shore patrol vessel RUTH FIRST, late on Monday.

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Simonstown assisted with the transfer of the survivors and their craft from the rescue vessel, the Ellen Khuzwayo, and they were taken to the SAN Simons Town Naval Base on Tuesday.

According to the MRCC Cape Town, the group had gone missing after their rigid hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) ran out fuel and were left drifting at sea in the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday at approximately 100km west off Cape Point.

Search and Rescue efforts continued from Sunday afternoon, when the MRCC was notified of the overdue craft, until the successful outcome on Monday. The DDFE vessels RUTH FIRST and ELLEN KHUZWAYO were provided with Search Patterns to cover the Search Area of approximately 6,296.8 km^2.

“In an extensive search and rescue operation involving multiple resources, since Sunday reaching in excess of 80 nautical miles south-east of Cape Point, the research vessel, ELLEN KHUZWAYO; located and recovered the six (6) missing fishermen deep sea off Cape Point.

“They are reportedly all in good health and not injured. NSRI Simonstown rescue craft was launched around 10h00 today (local time) and escort them on their last leg to Simonstown naval base.

“The support and efforts of the maritime community as well as the extensive search carried out by DFFE l 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 and Duty Team, is commended in the successful rescue operation.”

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Search fully underway in the Atlantic Ocean for a group of six people reportedly missing at sea: SAMSA

_{Fisheries vessel, Ruth First; among several in the Atlantic Ocean in an all out search since Monday, for group of six people reportedly missing at sea on Sunday about 100km west of Cape Town (File Photo)}

Pretoria: 25 March 2024

An all out search for a group of about six (6) people believed to be missing at sea about 100km west of Cape Town in the Atlantic Ocean after their Rhib ran out of fuel, is currently underway, with at least two vessels Fisheries vessels deployed on Monday afternoon to assist, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) confirmed.

In a statement, the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC), based at SAMSA Centre for Seawatch and Response, reports that on Sunday around noon it was notified of an overdue eight (8) meter RHIB, light gray in color, with six (6) persons onboard.

“The craft had reportedly run out of fuel and provided a Last Known Position (LKP) of approximately 100km south-west from Cape Point light as reported late Saturday afternoon.

“Telkom Maritime Radio was requested by MRCC Cape Town to issue a MAYDAY Relay wherein vessels were requested to report sightings of the overdue craft. Unfortunately, due to the distance of the estimated Search Area from shore, MRCC Cape Town could not task resources, and relied on vessel of opportunity as identified on the SAMSA Automated Identification System (AIS).

“The MT HYUNDAI PRINCE and the FV ALLISON were requested to divert to the LKP. Unfortunately nothing was found. MRCC Cape Town suspended search efforts due to nightfall.

“Search and Rescue efforts continued from early this (Monday) morning. An updated Search Area of approximately 6,296.8 kmsq was developed, and the Fisheries Patrol vessel RUTH FIRST and ELLEN KHUZWAYO were requested to assist. Both vessels shall commence search by late this afternoon.

“The MAYDAY Relay has been updated with the current estimated search area, requesting vessels to assist in finding the overdue craft, and for responding vessels to report to the On-scene Coordinator vessel RUTH FIRST,” said the MRCC Cape Town.

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Cape Town welcomes two stranded sailors evacuated from deep in the Atlantic Ocean: SAMSA

_{Two seafarers (Left and Centre) saved off the Atlantic Ocean, some 2400km west of Cape Town on the border with Uruguay, on board a crude oil tanker, the FRONT POLLUX after it had pulled them off the sea. They arrived safely in Cape Town on Monday, according to South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) (Photo: Supplied)}

Pretoria: 19 March 2024

Two seafarers evacuated from a life raft at sea on Thursday this past week after their small vessel sank in the Atlantic Ocean some 2400km west of Cape Town reportedly during the early hours of that morning, safely arrived in the Mother City on Monday, according to the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA).

SAMSA said the pair, reportedly a Swiss/USA and Brazilian citizens, both in relatively good health, were disembarked in Cape Town just after lunch on Monday, having arrived on board a crude oil tanker, the FRONT POLLUX; that pluck them off the sea last week.

Sadly, a third seafarer also onboard the Switzerland registered sailing vessel NINA POPE the group were sailing in, reportedly passed away and he went down along with the vessel when it reportedly sank in an ocean location in the Atlantic, approximately 2400km west of Cape Town on Thursday.

SAMSA, through the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) based at the SAMSA Centre for Sea Watch & Response in Cape Town, earlier reported that the group of seafarers’ problems with their craft – a vessel measuring about 16m in length and about five (5) meters wide – surfaced through the Garmin International Rescue Coordination Centre (IERCC) notification of an SOS Alert from one of the crew of the NINA POPE that had been received.

Shortly thereafter, a Distress notification from a Cospas-Sarsat Emergency Position Radio Beacon (EPIRB) activation was relayed by the South African Mission Coordination Centre (ASMCC) for Cospas-Sarsat, based at Telkom Maritime Radio Services in Milnerton, Cape Town.

“Due to the incident position being close to the Search and Rescue Region border of Uruguay and South Africa, it was agreed that MRCC Cape Town shall assume Search and Rescue (SAR) coordination. MRCC Uruguay continued to assist MRCC Cape Town with supplementary SAR related information.

“Thanks to the continuous position updates received from both the Garmin device and the EPIRB, MRCC Cape Town was able to direct the MT FRONT POLLUX to the distress position through the communication assistance of Telkom Maritime Radio.

By 3pm (South African local time on Thursday) the MT FRONT POLLUX reported to have sighted a life raft in the vicinity of the distress position and proceeded to recover the survivors in winds of up to 74 km/h and sea swell of up to eight (8) meters.

“The FRONT POLLUX notified MRCC Cape Town that only two survivors (male) were recovered from the life raft and that the third, the skipper (male), had not survived and went under with the NINA POPE when it sank,” said MRCC.

In Cape Town on Monday, the two seafarers were welcomed and taken care of by the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) which had been called upon to assist, said SAMSA.

“The two survivors were safely disembarked by the NSRI Table Bay unit from the M/T FRONT POLLUX and transported to back to the NSRI base. The seafarers are sorting out paperwork with the respective embassies,” said SAMSA.

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South Africa’s Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) helps save seafarers from sunken vessel, miles into the Atlantic Ocean: SAMSA

Pretoria: 15 March 2024

Prompt action by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) Centre for Sea Watch & Response to a vessel distress call thousands of kilometres into the Atlantic Ocean this week has successfully led to the rescue of two seafarers, now on their way to Cape Town, the agency reported on Friday.

Sadly, a third seafarer believed to be an elderly German national, could not be saved as he was reported to have sunk along with the vessel, said SAMSA. The two other seafarers, a Brazilian and a Swiss/USA citizen, are now currently on their way to Cape Town.

According to the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) based at the Centre for Sea Watch & Rescue in Cape Town Friday, the drama filled rescue operation of the seafarers ensued on Wednesday after the unit was called upon and notified shortly after 12 midnight by the Garmin International Rescue Coordination Centre (IERCC) of an SOS Alert that had been received.

“The IERCC relayed that the Swiss flagged sailing vessel NINA POPE was reported to be taking on water in a position approximately 2,400km West-south-west from Cape Town. Shortly after the report from the IERCC, a Cospas-Sarsat Emergency Position Radio Beacon (EPIRB) activation was received through the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS).

“The EPIRB was confirmed to be associated with the NINA POPE, which was en-route from Tristan da Cunha towards Cape Town as learned later.

“Telkom Maritime Radio was requested by MRCC Cape Town to communicate the distress of the three (3) persons onboard the NINA POPE to vessel around the incident location through a MAYDAY Relay.

“MRCC Cape Town had also identified several vessels that might be appropriate responding craft using SAMSA’s Automatic Identification System (AIS). The Motor Tanker vessel FRONT POLLUX, one of the vessels identified on AIS, responded to the MAYDAY Relay and diverted to investigate the distress notification on the request of MRCC Cape Town.

“Thanks to the continuous position updates received from both the Garmin device and the EPIRB, MRCC Cape Town was able to direct the FRONT POLLUX to the distress position through the communication assistance of Telkom Maritime Radio.

“By 3pm, the FRONT POLLUX reported to have sighted a life raft in the vicinity of the distress position and proceeded to recover the survivors in winds of up to 74 km/h and Sea swell of up to 08m.

“The FRONT POLLUX notified MRCC Cape Town that only two survivors (Male) were recovered from the life raft and that the third, the Skipper (Male), had not survived and went under with the NINA POPE when it sank,” said MRCC.

MRCC reported that it subsequently cancelled the MAYDAY Relay and the FRONT POLLUX relayed that the survivors did not require medical assistance.

“One survivor had dual Swiss/USA citizenship and the other is Brazilian, both had communicated with their respective Embassies in Cape Town as facilitated by the FRONT POLLUX. The deceased was a German citizen.

“The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) has been requested to assist with the landing of the survivors off Cape Town early next week,” said the MRCC

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Search for sailor off South African coast called off; SAMSA

Pretoria: 04 March 2024

A search for a foreign seafarer who reportedly fell overboard a container vessel in the Indian Ocean, about 22 nautical miles southeast of Cape Recife near the city of Gqeberha, in the Eastern Cape province at the weekend, has been called off after a thorough situation appraisal; the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) confirmed on Monday.

The seafarer, reportedly a male in his 30s, was not found, said SAMSA, adding that at the time of his disappearance overboard a Denmark flagged container ship, MV Santa Cruz, he was reportedly not wearing a life jacket.

The search for the seafarer, according to SAMSA ensued on Saturday evening shortly after a distress call was received from the vessel, reporting about the incident, and requesting assistance through both the Telkom Maritime Radio and the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre based in Cape Town.

At the time of incident on Saturday evening, the vessel was sailing at approximately 22 nautical miles east of Cape Recife, near Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape province.

“At 18h42 (local time) on Saturday, Telkom Maritime Radio informed the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) that M/V Santa Cruz reported that she had a man overboard.

“MRCC and Telkom Maritime Radio has since issued a call to vessels in the vicinity, the closest of which was a fishing vessel, FV Portunity, to assist with the search while more search and rescue resources were currently being mobilised, inclusive of the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI),” said SAMSA.

Overnight, the containership which was enroute from Durban to Cape Town continued the search and was later joined by as many as six (6) other vessels, as well as by the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) in (Gqeberha), however sadly, all to no avail, confirmed SAMSA.

The vessel is bound for Cape Town and the local SAMSA office will board the vessel for further investigation.

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Search underway for seafarer fallen overboard a container ship in Indian Ocean near Cape Recife, Eastern Cape: SAMSA

*_{The Denmark flagged container ship, M/V Santa Cruz, from which a seafarer reportedly fell overboard on the Indian Ocean along the Eastern Cape, South Africa, on Saturday, 02 March 2024.}*_{(Pic: Supplied)}

Pretoria: 03 March 2024

A sea search is underway in South African waters after a foreign seafarer reportedly disappeared from his vessel and believed to have fallen overboard on Saturday evening, while it was sailing on the Indian Ocean, along the Eastern Cape coastline; the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) announced on Sunday.

UPDATE ONE: Sunday, 03 March 2024 13h00 (LOCAL TIME)

No less than six (6) vessels have since joined the search of the seafarer on Sunday morning on the Indian Ocean along the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, while a warning has also been issued to other passing vessels to keep clear of the search area, reported SAMSA.

According to SAMSA on Sunday morning, the ‘man overboard’ (MOB) report by a Denmark flagged container ship, indicated that the incident occurred while the vessel was sailing at approximately 22 nautical miles east of Cape Recife, near Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape province.

“At 18h42 (local time) on Saturday, Telkom Maritime Radio informed the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) that M/V Santa Cruz reported that she had a man overboard.

“MRCC and Telkom Maritime Radio has since issued a call to vessels in the vicinity, the closest of which was a fishing vessel, FV Portunity, to assist with the search while more search and rescue resources are currently being mobilised, inclusive of the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI),” said SAMSA.

The search for the seafarer is still underway in an area on the Indian Ocean near Cape Recife, equivalent some seven (7) nautical miles, said SAMSA.

End.