The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) reported
the successful conclusion of South Africa’s biggest sea rescue mission in over
a decade. The 60 seafarers rescued off a remote South Atlantic island after
their fishing vessel sunk arrived in Cape Town on October 26.
SAMSA reported that it was the end of a more than 3,000-mile
journey for the seafarers, 47 of whom were South African citizens. Everyone was
reported to be healthy and in good spirits, although two individuals had
suffered minor injuries during the evacuations of the sinking ship to Gough
Island in the South Atlantic.
The Belize flagged fishing vessel the Geo Searcher was over
1,600 miles west of South Africa working the water off the remote island when
it struck a rock and began sinking at the stern on October 15. The crew, which
numbered 62, was evacuated in life rafts and the ship’s small boats taking
shelter at a weather station on Gough Island.
SAMSA through its Sea Watch and Rescue operation at the
Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) in Cape Town received the distress
calls from the Geo Searcher. They coordinated the rescue operations with
various state departments, including the Department of Environment, Forestry
and Fisheries (DEFF), owners of the SA Agulhas II.
The SA Agulhas II, a polar research vessel, disembarked a
group of passengers that were on board from a research mission and departed
Cape Town late on October 15 to undertake the rescue. Captain Knowledge Bengu
of the vessel told SAMSA that they encountered heavy seas and winds delaying
their arrival at the remote island. It took the SA Agulhas II four days to
reach Gough Island.
“Unfortunately, when we got to the island on October 20, the
weather was unfavorable to conduct any flight operations," the captain
told SAMSA. “We had to wait throughout the evening and we decided to call off
the operation for the day. The following day, as soon as there was a weather
opening,” the captain reported that the airlift began from Gough despite
continuing challenges with the weather. It had been determined that the seas
were too rough to transfer the crew by boat from the island. The airlift
required more than two hours to complete.
Captain Bengu said in addition to rescuing the stranded
seafarers, the SA Agulhas II also conducted an environmental inspection for oil
spillage around the wreck of the sunken vessel before departing the area. They
proceeded to Tristan da Cunha for a brief stop, where two residents from the
rescued crew were returned home.
After a four-day voyage to return to Cape Town, the SA
Agulhas II with the remaining 60 rescued seafarers berthed at Eastern Mole 1 at
the port of Cape Town on the evening of October 26. After being cleared
immigration and health inspections, the seafarers disembarked.
Captain Bengu described the 62 rescued seafarers as “most
grateful and with full appreciation of the hospitality they received.”