A maritime tragedy off the coast of Mossel Bay has claimed the lives of three crew members, while two others remain missing following a rescue operation that went horribly wrong.
The Department of Transport confirmed the incident which took place on Wednesday, 30 September, when the experienced a man overboard incident about 40 nautical miles off Mossel Bay during severe weather conditions.
Rescue operation turns deadly
A crew member was pulled overboard while handling a mooring line in rough seas. The uMkhuseli, managed by African Marine Solutions (AMSOL) on behalf of the Department of Transport, immediately launched a fast rescue boat carrying four crew members to retrieve the person in the water.
The rescue boat capsized in the rough seas, putting all five people in the water.
Three bodies were later recovered, identified as Akhona Mlaba, Simphiwe Simayi and Ditaba Leoto. Two crew members, oiler Zolile Milbaziso and able seafarer Sibonile Qalani, remain missing.
Search efforts continue
The search was paused overnight on Wednesday due to deteriorating weather conditions and resumed on Thursday morning. The Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Cape Town activated a coordinated sea and air search operation, with nearby vessels diverted to assist.
A helicopter with winch capability was dispatched from Cape Town to support the operation. The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) volunteers and SAPS water-wing and helicopter resources also joined the search efforts.
The official search and recovery operation was called off on 2 October. However, AMSOL has continued private recovery efforts using its tug Inkanyezi and a chartered fixed-wing aircraft, which reported debris in the search area on 2 October.
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Officials express condolences
Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy and Deputy Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa expressed their condolences to the families of the deceased crew members and the maritime industry.
“The department commends all vessels that responded to the distress call and the NSRI volunteers for their courageous efforts under difficult conditions,” Creecy said.
The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) will conduct a preliminary investigation into the incident, while AMSOL is providing support to affected families and crew members.
“The safety of our seafarers remains a core focus area. The department will continue to monitor the implementation of and compliance with safety measures in maritime operations,” said Deputy Minister Hlengwa.
The uMkhuseli is an anchor handling tug that provides 24-hour emergency response services along the South African coastline, including emergency towage, salvage, environmental protection, safety standby and search and rescue operations.
