NSRI assists catamaran in distress
The NSRI assisted a crew of eight who were in distress some 20 nautical miles South of Durban.
WHILE preparing for routine exercises at the Durban Sea Rescue base on Saturday 11 June, NSRI Durban duty crew were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) following a Mayday distress call at 11am, from the 66 foot sailing Catamaran Michelle Rose.
Andre Fletcher, NSRI Durban deputy station commander, said there were eight crew on board, six women and two men, who reported their sailing craft to be taking water.
Initially believed to be only a few nautical miles from Durban’s Port, and the Mayday distress call intercepted by Telkom Maritime Radio Services, MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) requested Durban TNPA to activate NSRI Durban while Telkom Maritime Radio Services relayed the Mayday distress call alerting all vessels in the area to divert to the casualty Catamaran position to assist if possible.
It was then determined that the Catamaran was some 20 nautical miles South of Durban and approximately five nautical miles off-shore in a 4 to 5 meter swell and 20 knot South Westerly winds – off-shore the vicinity of Umkomaas.
“The Catamaran, sailing from Cape Town to Richards Bay and then on to the Seychelles, had stopped in at Simonstown and East London during the voyage but was now taking water in the Port engine room and reportedly flooding in some bulk heads and compartments and crew were using their water pumps to bail water but it appeared that the Catamaran was flooding and in rough seas she risked sinking or capsizing and the skipper called a Mayday distress call,” said Fletcher.
NSRI Durban duty crew launched the sea rescue craft Eikos Rescuer II and the container ship Maersk Vilnius diverted to the scene while an NSRI shore team were dispatched to stand-by on the land side.
A TNPA Ports rescue helicopter was placed on alert.
“The yacht crew were geared to abandon ship if necessary but using water pumps to bail water. The Maersk Vilnius arrived on the scene and stood by at the yachts side while the NSRI craft battled through rough sea conditions and NSRI arrived on the scene at 1.33pm. The casualty boat was found to be lying low in the water, all eight crew were safe onboard the casualty boat and only one female crew suffering from motion sickness and the crew were treating that with rehydration,” he said.
The yacht, lying low in the water, was taken under tow by NSRI Durban and to assist with lightening the weight of the casualty boat the crew of the Catamaran dumped their fresh water. A Subtech tug boat, the Indongeni, was placed on alert to assist in the tow but NSRI pressed on with the tow effort.
“Following a concentrated effort that lasted throughout the afternoon, in the rough confused sea state, NSRI Durban towed the Catamaran Michelle Rose into the Port of Durban arriving at 7.33pm. The sea rescue craft Megan II was launched assisted with the maneuvering of the casualty Catamaran to a mooring,” said Fletcher.
Because of the size of the casualty craft a berth was provided by TNPA at the container terminal where the casualty boat was moored and the casualty crew will affect repairs to their Catamaran.
The operation was completed at 10.30pm with all crew of the casualty craft safe and well.
