The SAAF Forum

Not good news breaking at the moment of a tourist boat capsizing in Hout Bay.

The sea is kinda wild on the False Bay side, so I guess it's even rougher out at Hout Bay.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/ ... y-20121013

Was the catamaran red and white?

Kim Helfrich and Sapa

A TEAM of SA Navy divers braved rough sea conditions yesterday(SUBS:SUN) morning in the final act of a rescue that started in Hout Bay on Saturday when the charter boat Maroshka capsized in Hout Bay.

Rescue efforts by the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) on Saturday saw 34 people pulled from cold and tempestuous water around Duiker Island. Initial indications were that 33 or 34 people were aboard the catamaran when it turned turtle due to, at this stage unknown factors, in stormy seas at about 3pm on Saturday.

When NSRI teams arrived at the site they found some of those aboard had already been brought to safety by other charter boats which had steamed to the scene to assist. At that time it was established four people, three women and a man, were still missing.

They were found, using air pockets to breathe, under the hull of the capsized Maroshka and rescued by divers.

With only one person still suspected missing, the Navy was asked to assist late on Saturday.

“It was too late to go to sea and preparations were made to prepare the minehunter SAS Umzimkulu for departure at first light yesterday(SUBS:SUN),” Simon’s town naval base media liaison officer Commander Greyling van der Berg said.

“She left port at first light but had to return because of adverse sea conditions. The dive team, under the command of Warrant Officer Ivor du Plessis, then decided to move equipment by road to Hout Bay along with a 6m RIB (rigid inflatable boat) they would use for the search and rescue mission.

“A briefing was held in Hout Bay with other agencies involved where the divers were told poor sea conditions around the accident site would not allow any diving to take place. Du Plessis decided he and his team would see for themselves what conditions were like at the site and motored out of Hout Bay harbour at 9.40am. By 10.30 they were at the site and even though the sea state was not good the team decided to go under water. Twenty minutes late they surfaced with the body.”

The SA Maritime Safety Authority deployed a tug boat to the area to recover the capsized catamaran and will also investigate the cause of the maritime accident.

From the New Age:



Well done to the Navy divers too.

Thanks. Yes well done to fellow NSRI crew of Stations 2,3 and 8. Thats one heck of a rescue by any standards. SAPS Diver who used his BA for the woman needs to be congratulated for an absolute display of heroism. Well done to all. The red cat assisted with recovery of casualties.

The sea is about to go insane later today with heavy swell (4m) and SE 50 knots.

We dived the capsized Miroshga this morning to do a final clearance sweep. Very eerie to still see clothing, shoes handbags floating in the upturned vessel. Huge kudos and respect to my fellow Police Divers who rescued the two women from inside the hull yesterday - seeing for myself how difficult it must have been I am filled with admiration for their brave actions. Also, BZ to the SA Navy divers who this morning brought closure to the family of the missing crew member by recovering his body from a depth of 21m near to where the vessel capsized. RIP

Miroshga



Miroshga capsized as seen yesterday morning

Did the liferaft not deploy?

From the New Age:

Well done to the Navy divers too.