Red distress flares are to be fired in emergencies only, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) warned on Monday.
The call followed a false alarm on Saturday and another possible false alarm on Monday night, in Simonstown, in which red distress flares were fired.
”We investigated the confirmed sighting of a red distress flare — the second incident of this nature in the past few days — and suspect that it is a false alarm,” said the Simonstown NSRI spokesperson, Dave Roberts.
”However, we have no choice but to investigate the sighting thoroughly in order to determine if there is a genuine emergency situation that requires our attention.”
Roberts said Cape Town port control received a report of red distress flares being sighted by the public in Strandfontein on Monday night.
He said similar reports were received on Saturday at the same time in the same area.
”A report of red distress flares sighted in the same vicinity on Saturday night at approximately 8.30pm led to an intensive investigation by the NSRI due to the confirmed report of Ntombi that was adrift at sea at the time,” he said.
Upon investigation it was found that the skipper of Ntombi had told rescuers via cellphone that he had no distress signalling on-board. The body of the skipper was later found, as was the vessel. His only companion was still missing on Monday.
Roberts said both reports of red distress flares on Saturday night and Monday night, although positively confirmed sightings, were suspected to have been fired from the shore for unknown reasons.
He said the distress flares were meant to be fired in emergencies only.
”We rely on members of the public to alert the NSRI with sightings of this nature and we will always investigate the information thoroughly to determine if someone has set off the flares due to a genuine emergency situation,” Roberts said. – Sapa