High Winds Wreak Havoc in Cape Town

Bloubergstrand and Kommetjie – Bulk Carriers swept close to shore:

On Tuesday afternoon at 13h50 NSRI Table Bay and NSRI Melkbosstrand were placed on alert by the Transnet National Ports Authority after the bulk carrier Doce River dragged anchor and drifted close to shore, off Bloubergstrand, before getting her engines started and moving out to deeper waters and out of harms way.

On Monday evening NSRI Kommetjie and NSRI Hout Bay were placed on alert by the Transnet National Ports Authority after the bulk carrier Kiran was swept towards shore in approximately 8 metre swells, off Slangkop Lighthouse, following engine failure, before the salvage vessel Smit Amandla towed the bulk carrier out to sea and to the safety of deeper water.

Struisbaai – Skipper of trawler casualty evacuated:

At 15h31 on Tuesday afternoon NSRI Agulhas responded aboard their rescue craft to 2 nautical miles off-shore of Struis Baai where the skipper of the Long Line Fishing Trawler Golden Eagle had sustained head and facial injuries after a steel door reportedly slammed shut in high winds hitting the skipper on the head.

Shane Kempen, NSRI Agulhas station commander said that the skipper, Loeries Noonies, 45, was brought ashore abourd the NSRI rescue craft and transported to a local doctor for sutures to a laceration to the head, lacerations to both eye-orbits and treatment for a fractured cheek bone.

Hout Bay – Search for a suspected missing man:

At 16h11 on Tuesday afternoon NSRI Hout Bay were activated following eye-witnesses reports of a man suspected of being swept off a Crayfish Bakkie (small open boat) drifting in the bay off Hout Bay near to Fish on the Rocks.

Brad Geyser, NSRI Hout Bay station commander said that a full-scale search, including two NSRI rescue craft, the SA Police Services, the Metro Ambulance and Rescue Services, Hout Bay Surf Lifesaving and the Police Dive Unit, in 7 metre swells, revealed no sign of anyone in any difficulty. The crayfish bakkie was found adrift at sea and has washed ashore on the opposite side of the bay but the crayfish bakkie was upright (it had not capsized) and we suspect it had been swept out to sea after the Spring Tides high tide swept it from its mooring on the shoreline.

Brad said that some other eye-witnesses had claimed that they had seen the crayfish bakkie being swept out to sea with no one on-board.

Brad said that the situation continues to be monitored but no one has yet come forward to confirm that a person is missing.

Gordon’s Bay – Jetty swept away:

At 06h50 on Wednesday morning NSRI Gordon’s Bay launched both NSRI rescue craft to assist to recover a jetty swept away by big swells during the early morning Spring High Tide.

Mark Burton, NSRI Gordon’s Bay station commander, said that the jetty was recovered and will be repaired.