Tag: Telkom Maritime Services

15 Crew members of off-shore supply vessel on fire, successfully rescued off South Africa’s southern sea: SAMSA

Pretoria: 12 September 2024

A total 15-member crew were successfully rescued off South Africa’s southern Cape seas on Thursday afternoon after their vessel, an offshore supply vessel caught on fire and had to be abandoned, according to the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) on Thursday.

The OSV, named the AM PRIDE and measuring 66.6 meters long and 16 meters wide, sailing under the flag of Marshall Island, reportedly caught on fire early on Thursday, in an ocean area approximately 48.5 nautical miles south of Mossel Bay in the Western Cape province.

According to SAMSA, the casualty vessel’s dangerous situation surfaced at about 10.30am on Thursday after the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) at the SAMSA Centre for Sea Watch and Response in Cape Town received a call from the Petroleum Oil and Gas Corporation of South Africa (PetroSA), advising that the MV AM Pride had fire onboard, close to a FA Platform, and required immediate assistance.

PetroSA’s report to the MRCC at the time, said the statement; was that the fire was located in the ship’s messroom and that it was out of control. Weather conditions prevailing in the area at the time were described as ‘poor’ to ‘bad’ as characterised by a south easterly wind gusting at up to 30 knots per hour, and a swell of between 3.5-5 meters, with a visibility of just seven (7) nautical miles.

The immediate and primary concern was the rescue and evacuation of the 15-member crew onboard, said SAMSA.

Towards this goal, the MRCC said: “A MayDay relay was immediately requested via Telkom Maritime Services for vessels in the area to render assistance. Two vessels identified as in proximity with the casualty vessel, the MV Angelic Peace and MV Thunderbird requested to proceed to assist.”

Ultimately however, a PetroSA helicopter was sent through to assist and was able to retrieve the first group of eight (8) seafarers from a life-raft and onto the FA platform.

The helicopter, said SAMSA, next fetched the seven (7) remaining crew member on the life-raft who where then safely flown to George.

“They will be flown to Cape Town on Friday, joining the eight (8) others scheduled to spend the night on the FA platform prior to being transferred also to Cape Town on Friday morning.

In the meantime, an Emergency Towing Vessel, the Mkhuseli, from African Marine Solution (AMSOL) is on its way to rendezvous with the casualty vessel, scheduled for about 07.30am on Friday,” said SAMSA.

The Amsol owned ETV, according to SAMSA, will retrieve the casualty vessel to a place of refuge, as agreed with the owners.

End.

Fishing vessel sunk, search for 11 missing fishermen underway in South Africa’s west coast: SAMSA

A photo of the South Africa flagged fishing trawler, FV Lepanto that reportedly quickly sank about 34 nautical miles in the Atlantic Ocean west of Slangkop Point on Friday afternoon, with 20 crewmen on board. Nine crewmen were rescued and evacuated while a searh and rescue for the 11 others still missing is currently underway. (Photo: SAMSA)

Pretoria: 18 May 2024

UPDATE 1: (15h40)

Apart from debris found floating at sea by a fishing vessel assisting with a search and rescue operation in the Atlantic Ocean early on Saturday, no sight has yet been made of 11 crew members of the sunken FV Lepanto, reports the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA).

The South Africa flagged fishing trawler, with 20 crewmen on board, reportedly quickly sunk on Friday afternoon at a location some 34 nautical miles west of Slangkop Point. Nine (9) of the crew members were evacuated shortly thereafter and brought to Cape Town, while a search and rescue ensured to find the 11 others still missing, said SAMSA.

SAMSA said the debris spotted on Saturday, was found by one of three fishing vessels that were called upon to assist with the search and rescue of the missing crew members. SAMSA confirmed that the search had also gone airborne early on Saturday, after an aircraft was secured for the SAR.

“A search and rescue operation is currently underway for the remaining 11 persons in the water. Three vessels are involved in the search. All three vessels; FVs Harvest Lindiwe, Haverst Mzansi, Haverst Cape Nord, are on scene and actively searching. The designated search area has been divided into three sections, with each vessel conducting a parallel search pattern within the assigned section.

“An AGA helicopter is assisting with an aerial search. The estimated search duration is 8-10 hours. Debris has been reported in the northern part of the search grid and the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) Cape Town is investigating this lead,” said SAMSA.

For more on the story, see the section below.

More updates will be made when available.

A frantic search for about 11 fishermen is underway in the Atlantic Ocean after their vessel, a South Africa registered trawler named VF Lepanto, sunk on Friday with 20 crew on board, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) reports.

SAMSA says the incident occured while the 35 meters long and 7.5 meters wide vessel was at a location approximately 35 nautical miles west of Slangkop Point in the Western Cape.

A statement by the SAMSA Centre for Sea Watch & Response located Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) in Cape Town on Friday night said the incident of the casualty occured on Friday afternoon, prompting a search and rescue operation after a distress call from the vessel was received.

Said the MRCC: ” At 15:34 local time, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Cape Town received a distress call notification from regarding the South African-flagged fishing vessel FV Lepanto, reported to be sinking rapidly approximately 34 nautical miles west of Slangkop Point Light.

“The distress call, received by Telkom Maritime Services, prompted an immediate response. Nearby fishing vessels, FV Harvest Mzanzi and FV Armana, responded to the mayday call and proceeded to the scene. FV Armana successfully rescued nine crew members, leaving eleven crew members still unaccounted for.

“The MRCC Cape Town is coordinating the search and rescue (SAR) operation. A MAYDAY broadcast has been issued to request assistance from vessels in the vicinity. Four vessels; the FV Lee-Anne, FV Harvest Saldana, FV Locqueran, and FV Harvest Florita have been alerted and are enroute to assist in the rescue operation.

“The NSRI Emergency Operations Centre has been alerted and is on standby. NSRI Stations 1,3, and 8 responded to the search request

“The MRCC Cape Town and all involved parties are working diligently at searching for the missingcrew. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available,” said the centre, adding that families of the missing seafarers had already been informed of the incident.

END