Two men sailing a yacht from Durban to its owner in Mossel Bay were hauled off the sinking vessel in a dramatic rescue by members of East London’s NSRI.
The drama began in the early hours of Saturday morning when 53-year-old Craig Rosen of Durban and 44-year-old Jonan Joubert, from Mossel Bay, made a distress call from the 30 foot yacht, Sticky Fingers.
“They reported heavy weather, depleted fuel reserves, and confirmed to be under sail, safe, but requesting a tow,” said NSRI East London station commander, Geoff McGregor.
He said they were first place on alert by Transnet National Ports Authority “following a VHF radio request for assistance, intercepted by Telkom Maritime Radio Services.”
After monitoring the yacht’s movements along the coast overnight the NSRI were called into action when sea conditions detetriorated.
“The NSRI East London sea rescue craft Spirit of Lotto, crewed by coxswain Ian Reid, and crew Kevin Pirzenphal, Wynand Roets and Declan Winn, was launched at 09h30 and supported at our sea rescue base control room by myself, Cathrine Prentis, Leonard Wallace (who is also an EC Government Health EMS rescue paramedic) and Charissa Roets, we prepared for the long day ahead,” said McGregor.
He said the Eastern Cape Health Department sent an EMS helicopter to help locate the yacht “after the coordinates provided by the crew of Sticky Fingers appeared not to correspond with where we thought that they may be.”
“Following a search the helicopter crew found them off-shore of Bashee on the Transkei Coast and our sea rescue craft were 1 hour away from their position. Our sea rescue craft rendezvoused with the yacht at around 13h30 in heavy weather, a 7 meter swell and strong winds and a towline was rigged,” he said.
McGregor said after taking the yacht in tow in rough seas, with five metre swell, the yacht started taking on water.
“Coxswain Ian Reid, taking everything into account to try to save the yacht, but faced with the heavy sea swells and the yacht already half under water and heavy laden from water intake, made the difficult decision to request the crew of Sticky Fingers to abandon ship,” he said.
McGregor said the sea rescue craft remained at the yacht for some time but after a large wave, estimated to be between nine and 10 meters, swept over the yacht, lying three quarters deep in water and with the bow completely submerged, the sea rescue craft departed the scene.
He said Telkom Maritime Radio Services and MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) will track the EPIRB and broadcast Maritime Safety messages warning ships in the area of the semi submerged yacht although the yacht is expected to sink completely.
McGregor said the yacht’s owner “will evaluate his options but at this stage a salvage effort is not being considered.”
(Images: NSRI)
