A search involving boats and aircraft is under way for two missing crewmen from a fishing vessel that sank about 20 nautical miles off Cape Point, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said on Wednesday afternoon.
NSRI media spokesperson Craig Lambinon said a ”40-foot sport fishing vessel” had been reported overdue at 11am, and the NSRI had immediately launched lifeboats from Hout Bay and Simon’s Town to start a search.
The search had been joined by a South African Air Force Dakota and an Oryx helicopter.
At noon another fishing vessel, the Growler, had spotted flares and picked up two people from a life raft.
Lambinon said there had been four people aboard the vessel — he declined to give the name of the boat — and the search for the two still missing was continuing.
”It is understood the missing vessel was about 20 nautical miles off Cape Point, though this position has not yet been confirmed. The search will continue until further notice,” he said.
Cape Town’s Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) confirmed later on Wednesday that the missing vessel, with a crew of four, had sunk.
MRCC duty officer Mark Steed told the South African Press Association the Shaka, a tuna fishing boat, had sunk after its engine room had flooded.
”According to the two survivors, who were picked up by the Growler, the engine room flooded very suddenly. After that, the vessel went down quickly.
”The survivors said the other two crew members had drowned,” he said. — Sapa