Pat van Eyssen, NSRI Table Bay duty coxswain, said:
At 16h00, Sunday, 08th January, NSRI Table Bay duty crew were alerted by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) of the small fishing ski-boat, Ros Anchor II, capsized at Robben Island with 3 male crew onboard and the crew reported to be safe in Murrays Bay Harbour, Robben Island.
On investigation we found that the casualty boat may have filled with water, listed and capsized while the 3 Cape Town local men were fishing from their boat near to the entrance of Murray’s Bay Harbour while at anchor.
A Robben Island ferry boat, believed to be the Princess Sky, rescued all 3 men from the water and towed the capsized casualty boat into Murray’s Bay harbour.
They were not injured.
Initially the 3 men planned to hitch a ride back to mainland on a ferry boat (planning to make arrangements to collect their boat at a later date) but we managed to reach the skipper by telephone with the assistance of the Robben Island staff and we offered the skipper of the casualty boat our assistance and requested that they remain on the island with their boat and await our arrival.
NSRI Table Bay duty crew launched the sea rescue craft Spirit of Vodacom and Spirit of Day and on arrival on the scene we righted the casualty boat and we took them onboard our sea rescue craft and towed their boat to the OPBC (Oceana Power Boat Club) where once their boat was recovered and they were safe on mainland they required no further assistance.
Over in Fich Hoek Darren Zimmerman, NSRI Simonstown station commander, said:
At 16h20, Sunday, 08th January, CMR (Cape Medical Response) responded to Fish Hoek Beach to assist lifeguards who had reportedly rescued 3 persons from the surf.
Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services had also been activated.
CMR paramedics assisted lifeguards to medically treat the 3 persons and we believe they were transported to hospital by ambulance.
