An Eastern Cape fisherman is missing at sea off St Francis Bay after apparently falling overboard from a fishing vessel.
The NSRI said the man was from Humansdorp.
NSRI spokesperson, Craig Lambinon, said that the NSRI St Francis duty crew had been activated by Transnet National Ports Authority following reports to NSRI Port Elizabeth of a man suspected to be overboard the fishing vessel Maryke.
“It appears that the alarm had been raised at 05h00 by the skipper after the crew noticed the adult fisherman, believed to be from Humansdorp, missing off the boat off-shore of Aasvogelspunt, 30 nautical miles South East of St Francis Bay,” said Lambinon.
He said that Maryke and fishing vessels had reportedly begun a search.
“The sea rescue craft Spirit of St Francis II was launched and on arrival on the scene joined in a search and assisted in sweeping line search patterns and just after 08h00 by an SA Air Force 15 Squadron Charlie Flight helicopter,”
Lambinon said there were two NSRI rescue swimmers from Port Elizabeth on board who joined the search operation along the shoreline.
“Despite an extensive air, sea and shoreline search operation no sign of the missing fisherman has been found,” Lambinon said.
He said that the police have taken over an ongoing search operation and investigation into the incident.
