Cape Town - Four local fishermen died while two survived and one is still missing after their fishing vessel hit rocks on the Western Cape Coast near Gouritz River mouth.
National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) spokesperson Craig Lambinon said at about 1.50pm on Tuesday they received a mayday distress call alerting them to the incident.
NSRI Mossel Bay rescue team, along with Mossel Bay Fire and Rescue Services, made their way to Gouritz River Mouth in west and east directions along the shoreline.
“It was undetermined what the vessel’s name was, its exact location and how many people were involved.
“At about 5km west of Gouritz River mouth, team members spotted a fishing trawler washed up on rocks at about 3pm, where the captain of the casualty vessel was recovered from rocks in shallow surf.
“He claimed he had been conducting CPR on one of his six crew members but that area of the rocks was by now swamped by the high tide. He also confirmed that he was one of the seven men.”
Lambinon said one other crewman could be heard shouting for help from the badly damaged vessel being battered by heavy waves. An NSRI rescuer recovered him, and the two men were treated for hypothermia.
“During an ongoing search four bodies were located and recovered from the surf line. One man remains missing.
“An extensive sea, air and shoreline search has revealed no signs of the one missing fisherman.
“Government Forensic Pathology Services have taken the bodies of the four deceased men into their care.
“The search is continuing for the one missing fisherman. All seven crew from the casualty fishing vessel are adults and they are all believed to be local men.
“Condolences are conveyed to the families of the four deceased men and thoughts are with the family of the missing man,” Lambinon said.
Police spokesperson Christopher Spies said circumstances surrounding the incident were under investigation and that the identities of the deceased had yet to be confirmed.
“Albertinia police opened an inquest docket after the bodies of four men were retrieved from the ocean at Gouritz on Tuesday, August 8.
“Preliminary investigations reveal that police were alerted at about 4pm about a fishermen’s boat which capsized in the water.
“On arrival, they found four men declared dead by medical personnel on scene. Two men were taken to a nearby hospital for medical care.
“One of the fishermen disappeared in the water and a search for the missing person is under-way”.
A search party consisting of police divers, Mossel Bay Sea Border Unit, Albertinia Police, and Working on Fire conducted a search of the Gouritz River mouth area.
The team were still monitoring the shoreline. The search for the missing person would resume today, said Spies.
siviwe.melapi@inl.co.za