A massive search operation unfolded on Wednesday after two divers went missing about seven nautical miles off Ramsgate in KZN.

Gary Wolmarans, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Shelly Beach station commander, says they were activated at around 13:20 after the crewman of a boat alerted them to two missing divers, father and son Mike and Alan Fraser.

Alan Fraser, locally known as ‘Moo’, and his father are well known in the South Coast community and made headlines in recent years after spotting rare coelacanths on three occasions and helping save an entangled whale.

On Wednesday, the crewman searched for the missing divers for about two hours, before racing to shore to get help. Several helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, private boats and rescue vessels joined the search.

At around 14:35, a private boat, Shot for Shot, located and rescued Fraser senior from the water. An NSRI statement says he was about nine nautical miles south of where he had gone missing.

It seems that father and son got separated when Fraser junior attempted to swim to shore.

Just under an hour later, another boat involved in the search, Vagabond, approached the NSRI Port Edward rescue craft about seven nautical miles offshore of Palm Springs. They had located the son and he was brought to shore at Port Edward and reunited with his dad.

Talking to the South Coast Herald from the beach, Fraser junior said he was relieved.

“It was a long and hot swim. But my dad and I are fine. I could see the boats, but they couldn’t see me [at first]. Eventually, they spotted me,” he said.

Massive rescue operation

To understand the magnitude of the search-and-rescue operation, here are the organisations, vessels and aircraft that were involved, according to the NSRI:

1. Private and commercial skippers and Ramsgate Ski-boat Club members assisted in refuelling the vessel that initially took the divers out and then went back to sea to search for the Frasers.
2. NSRI Shelly Beach vessel Spirit of Dawn was launched with a SAPS Search and Rescue officer onboard.
3. Med-Evac vessel God’s Gift was launched.
4. NSRI Port Edward vessel Spirit of Steve was launched.
5. NSRI Durban was put on alert and the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre was activated. An alert to all ships was broadcasted by the Telkom Maritime Radio Services.
6. Ski-boats Mesteph and Spitzbuble launched from Shelly Beach.
7. Three private and commercial boats launched from Ramsgate.
8. Two boats, Shot for Shot and Vagabond, launched from Port Edward.
9. National Ports Authority helicopter joined the search.
10. Airtrack Extreme Security alerted Margate Air Traffic Control, which broadcasted a message for all aircraft in the area to be on the lookout, before launching their own helicopter to join the search.
11. Rivermead Poultry diverted their Cessna 206 aircraft to join the search.
12. A Mooney 20 aircraft with an unidentified pilot joined the search.
13. Lifeguards along the South Coast searched the shoreline.
14. SANDF/SA Airforce commander Colonel Pine Pienaar arrived at Shelly Beach to assist with the operation.

Father and son have made the headlines over the years:

• In 2016, they were returning to the Ramsgate launch site after a dive off San Lameer when they came upon a humpback whale badly entangled in shark nets.

Fraser junior grabbed his mask, fins and bait knife and jumped overboard to help the whale, while his father held the boat in position, concerned about his son’s and the whale’s safety. The whale was freed.

• In November 2019, the Frasers, their good friend Bruce Henderson and dive buddy Mossie Carstens came across a coelacanth at a depth of 72m, off Pumula.
• In 2021, the duo had the privilege of seeing another one at a depth of 55m, off Margate.
• In March 2022, the Frasers were diving on a deep reef near Pumula with Henderson when they spotted another coelacanth, at 67m.