Father & Son Rescued From Their Capsized Sailing Dinghy

Spencer Oldham, NSRI Hout Bay station commander, said: At 14h19, Sunday, 15 March, NSRI Kommetjie and NSRI Hout Bay duty crews were activated following eyewitness reports of a sailing dinghy capsized offshore of Kommetjie slipway with 2 people onboard – both persons were reported to be on the hull of the capsized craft.

NSRI Kommetjie duty crew responded to the NSRI Kommetjie station 26 rescue base and launched the NSRI rescue craft Spirit of the Vines.

NSRI Hout Bay crew, at the NSRI Hout Bay station 8 rescue base conducting routine training at the time, dispatched the NSRI rescue craft Albie Matthews and Spirit of Gabi.

CMR (Cape Medical Response) were activated.

On arrival on the scene the 2 casualties, a local dad and his teenage son, were taken off the hull of the capsized craft and brought safely to shore onboard an NSRI rescue craft.

The NSRI Kommetjie and the NSRI Hout Bay rescue craft were used to right the capsized sailing dingy and once righted the craft was brought to shore without incident.

The dad and his son were not injured and they required no further assistance.

Then at 15h33 NSRI Table Bay and NSRI Bakoven duty crews were activated following a request for assistance from a local sailing vessel reporting to be in distress, taking on water, offshore of the Port of Table Bay breakwater.

It appears that while returning from a day sailing the vessel may have struck an object in the water causing damage to the shaft with an ingress of water reportedly flooding the engine room.

They were continuing to sail while bailing water and raising the alarm.

NSRI Table Bay duty crew responded to the NSRI Table Bay station 3 rescue base to prepare to launch rescue craft accompanied by water extrication pumps.

NSRI Bakoven duty crew responded the NSRI Bakoven station 2 rescue base to prepare to launch the NSRI rescue craft Gemini Legend.

NSRI Hout Bay were requested to respond to assist and the NSRI Hout Bay rescue craft Nadine Gordimer was launched accompanied by water extrication pumps.

TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Table Bay Port Control assisted with communications and marine traffic control.

While NSRI were responding the sailing vessel was able to proceed into Duncan Docks with her skipper and crew displaying excellent sailing skills despite the vessel appearing low in the water from water ingress.

A Police Sea Bordeline Police boat arrived on the scene assisting the casualty sailing vessel.

RCYC (Royal Cape Yacht Club) personnel were standing by at the International Jetty with additional water extrication pumps and NSRI Table Bay shore crew arrived at RCTC to assist from the shore side.

The casualty sailing yacht moored safely at RCYC and it was confirmed that they required no further assistance. The ingress of water was stemmed and the damage to the shaft will be investigated and repaired by the owner.