Three people have been rescued by the NSRI on Tuesday evening after receiving a Mayday distress call from a local 45-foot yacht. It reportedly ran aground on the eastern side of Robben Island.
NSRI Table Bay station commander Marc de Vos noted the crew on duty were dispatched at 8pm on Tuesday evening after receiving the call.
The NSRI sea rescue was launched while officers from the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries approached the area from the land side.
De Vos remarked that on arrival at the scene, in calm seas and dense fog, the vessel was found hard aground and listing while all three crew members on the yacht were in no imminent danger.
The following agencies were placed on alert: Transnet National Ports Authority – Port Control, NSRI Melkbosstrand, NSRI Bakoven, Police Sea Borderline Control, Western Cape government health EMS, Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, the Police Dive Unit, City of Cape Town (CoCT) Law Enforcement Marine Unit and CoCT Fire and Rescue Services – Fire Dive Unit.
Telkom Maritime Radio Services assisted with communication, “A rescue swimmer was deployed to swim and wade to the vessel.
“In relays of one at a time the three casualty crew were assisted to shore by the NSRI rescue swimmer and they were assisted by DEFF officers on the land side,” De Vos said.
De Vos added that Disaster Risk Management control was alerted while the owner and salvors will attempt to salvage the yacht today, Wednesday.
“The three men, aged 48, 52 and 66, from Durbanville, were brought to our NSRI Table Bay sea rescue station aboard our sea rescue craft and they were transported to their vehicles.