A LONE yachtsman who sent out a distress signal after he had lost steering control off the Eastern Cape coast on Monday had managed to partially rectify the steering mechanism and was safe, a representative for Task Force West at Silvermine, Piet Paxton said on Tuesday. Paxton said a Dakota aircraft from 35 Squadron at Cape Town International Airport, which was to have assisted in the search for the yachtsman, had returned to base. Two Oryx helicopters from 15 Squadron in Durban remained on standby in case the situation changed. Paxton said the yacht Kamera’s last radioed position was 120 nautical miles southeast of Port St Johns and 220 nautical miles east of East London. He said the Maritime Rescue Co-ordinating Centre estimated it would take the yachtsman about three days to sail to the nearest port. – Sapa
Monday January 28, 2001