The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) is searching for 11 fishermen who went missing after their fishing trawler sank off Cape Town's Atlantic Seaboard on Friday afternoon.
NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said a distress call was made on Friday at 3.30pm and five fishing vessels went searching for the men and managed to locate nine men in a life raft.
He said the fishing vessel was carrying 20 men in total.
“The nine survivors are not injured and they were brought to the Port of Table Bay aboard a fellow fishing vessel during the night. They are in the care of their fishing company,” he added.
Lambinon said different organisations, including South African Police Service (SAPS), Police Sea Borderline Control, SAPS Water Policing and Diving Services, and the City of Cape Town, among others, have been notified about the incident.
“Three NSRI rescue craft arrived in the search area and joined other fishing vessels in an extensive search operation for 11 missing fishermen in tree to four metre sea swells and 10 to 15 knot winds.”
In addition, he said they used a helicopter to locate the men, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
“Despite an extensive air and sea search, there remains no signs of 11 missing fishermen and a search operation is ongoing.”
He said it was still unclear what caused the fishing vessel to sink.
“Thoughts and care are with the fishermen's families and the fishing company in this difficult time,” Lambinon added.
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