Twenty-five crew had to be rescued off the coast of Port Elizabeth after their fishing boat sank on Thursday.
NSRI Port Elizabeth station commander Ian Gray said they received a call for urgent assistance from a 29-metre steel crayfish boat, Baratz, at about 2pm.
The vessel, with 25 crew on board, reported that it was taking on water, had no motor power and was adrift as sea, south-east of Cape Recife.
Grey says the crew abandoned ship into life-rafts and that despite two life-jackets spotted floating on the sea surface - all crew were found to be safe and accounted for.
One casualty crewman was secured by an NSRI rescue swimmer after landing in the water.
Grey says NSRI rescue swimmers were then deployed from two SA Air Force helicopters into the water and in relays the crew - one at a time - were hoisted aboard the helicopters and brought safely to shore.
They were then transported to local hospitals for treatment for shock and hypothermia.
The NSRI and SA Maritime Safety Authority will investigate what caused the ship to sink.
