Pretoria: 12 April 2022

All eleven crew members of a fishing boat that sank at sea off the Western Cape coast were successfully rescued early on Tuesday, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) announced in Pretoria.

In a statement, SAMSA said the fishing vessel named F/V SILVER SNAPPER sank in the early hours of Tuesday morning off Cape Point after it reportedly suffered engine problems whereafter it began taking in water.

Following to distress calls from the vessel’s crew, another vessel, the F/V VLEIGANS was dispatched to the area to offer assistance, and managed to pluck sailors off the stricken vessel before it sank into the sea.

SAMSA said: “All crewmembers (11 eleven in total) on aboard the fishing vessel, the F/V SILVER SNAPPER   were rescued in the early hours of the morning (12 April 2022) off Cape Point.

“The F/V SILVER SNAPPER had earlier reported that it was suffering engine problems and was busy sinking. The F/V VLEIGANS was dispatched to assist the F/V SILVER SNAPPER and on arrival it was found that the F/V SILVER SNAPPER was sinking.

“All 11 crewmembers safely abandoned the F/V SILVER SNAPPER and were rescued by the F/V VLEIGANS. The F/V VLEIGANS remained on scene until the F/V SILVER SNAPPER was fully submerged under the water. No loss of life was reported. The F/V VLEIGANS arrived safely in Gansbaai harbour in the early hours this morning.

Meanwhile, said SAMSA, a navigational warning had been issued due to the fact that the F/V SILVER SNAPPER had left her fishing nets in the water (300m diameter). 

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