File
A search was conducted off the Wild Coast at Port St Johns on Wednesday for a 54-year-old Cape Town man who is missing at sea.
The National Sea Rescue Institute said his family arranged for a fixed-wing aircraft to conduct the search while fishing vessels and commercials ships also assisted in searching a wide area.
NSRI spokesperson, Craig Lambinon, said the drama unfolded on Tuesday afternoon when their Emergency Operations Centre received an alert from the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre.
He said the alert related to the activation of an emergency position indicating radio beacon approximately 30 nautical miles off-shore of Port St Johns.
“NSRI Port St Johns was placed on alert while Telkom Maritime Radio Services broadcast an all ships alert. 4 ships at sea diverted to a search area and searched in an operation coordinated by MRCC,” Lambinon said.
NSRI crews in Durban, East London and Port Edward were placed on alert.
He said during the late afternoon on Tuesday a yacht was located by an oil chemical tanker where a survivor, a 57 year old Cape Town, man was rescued from the yacht onto the tanker.
“His brother, from Cape Town, had reportedly gone overboard in the early hours of the morning in rough seas after waves swept over the yacht in deep seas and he was missing at sea”.
Lambinon said the yacht showed signs of damage and remains adrift at sea while the survivor was brought to Durban aboard the tanker where an investigation has been opened by the police and the South African Maritime Safety Authority.
He said the NSRI commended the Captain and crew of the tanker for their assistance and everyone else involved in the search.
“Our thoughts are with family and friends of the missing man in this difficult time,” Lambinon said.
