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Local pilots helps in search for two missing fishermen off Coffee Bay
To date, the men have not been found.
Local pilots Hendrik Ludick and his daughter, Daniél of Airtrack X-Treme Security took to the sky to help search for two missing fishermen last Saturday, January 23.
Ludick said they worked hand-in-hand with Saps K9 and Search and Rescue teams in this search mission.
“The client placed a distress call at midnight on Friday, January 22 requiring assistance. At first light Airtrack X-Treme Security Airwing (Airtrack Aviation) took off from FAMG routed to Wild Coast Coffee Bay to assist,” he said.
Richard Sham (50) and Bongani Ace Bana (42) from Johannesburg were last seen last Friday while on a fishing trip near Hole in the Wall, Coffee Bay.
A Facebook post said that when Sham’s wife had gone looking for them she found his bakkie with the keys and their cellphones. His hat and sunglasses were in between the rocks and one fishing rod was missing.
Reports of clothing and a fishing buckle believed to belong to the anglers was found washed up on the shore, with what appears to be shark bite marks. But, this has not been confirmed.
To date, the men have not been found.
Ludick worked for Port Shepstone K9 police unit, and has 12 years experience with the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI).
Ludick and Daniél, both commercial helicopter pilots, successfully airlifted a local couple who had gone missing in the Umtamvuna Nature Reserve last year. Daniél was pilot in command, and her father was the co-pilot.
When drownings occurred during December, they also did adhoc patrols on request of search and rescue.
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