Man overboard turns out to be man at home
A large-scale search for a Mossel Bay fisherman believed to be onboard a fishing vessel heading to Plettenberg Bay waters over the weekend was called off when the man was found to be home, safe and sound.
Crews from all four National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) bases in the Southern Cape were launched on Saturday 6 June along with local aircraft and a SAAF helicopter in search of the fisherman who was thought to have fallen overboard from his fishing vessel during the night.
According to Andre Fraser, NSRI Mossel Bay station commander, at 07:40 on 6 June, “NSRI Mossel Bay were alerted by the skipper of a local 14m fishing vessel reporting a crewman of his boat missing and he was suspected to have fallen overboard”.
The information provided indicated the fishing vessel had departed from Mossel Bay harbour at about 19:00 on Friday evening with the intention of making their way to Plettenberg Bay to do some fishing.
Raising alarm
“On Saturday morning the alarm was raised after one of her crew fishermen, from Mossel Bay … could not be found on the fishing vessel and her crew suspected that he may fall overboard during the night,” Fraser said.
By the time the fishing vessel raised the alarm, it was already south of Robberg Nature Reserve and had begun a search on its way back to Mossel Bay. “NSRI Mossel Bay, in turn, launched sea rescue craft to search a track line on the heading that the fishing trawler had been on during the night of her heading towards Plettenberg Bay,” Fraser explained.
Given the vast size of the grid that would need to be covered during the search, the three other NSRI stations of the Southern Cape (Plett, Knysna, Wilderness) were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) to join in the search and MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) initiated a search grid pattern and placed the SA Air Force (SAAF) on alert.
NSRI’s emergency operations centre (EOC) assisted with logistics while NSRI Knysna launched three sea rescue craft and established a joint operations command centre. NSRI Wilderness launched one craft and NSRI Plett launched two craft while also boarding a private aircraft at Plettenberg Bay airport that was volunteered by a local pilot, and the aircraft joined in the search.
Fraser explained that the MRCC also managed to enlist the help of the SAAF through a 22 Squadron Oryx helicopter that was reportedly preparing to fly to Cape Town from Port Elizabeth for something not related to the search.
“The helicopter initiated a search on her arrival in the search area,” he stated.
Meanwhile…
In the meantime, as sea-based operations were in full swing and almost every organisation that could help was enlisted, land-based operations were also underway, and making headway of their own.
“During land-based investigations, it was determined by security personnel at Mossel Bay harbour that the missing fisherman had been seen at the harbour the night before but some security personnel suggested that the fisherman may not have boarded the fishing vessel,” Fraser said.
So, as the search was still ongoing at sea, a phone call was made to the man’s residence and much to everyone’s surprise he was found to be at home. As it turns out, he had simply not boarded the fishing vessel the night before and he had been safe and sound at home the entire time.
Thus the search was called off and rescue resources returned to base, while the fishing vessel and her relieved crew could continue with their fishing mission. “All agree that the reaction of the skipper of the fishing vessel can be commended under the circumstances,” Fraser said. “NSRI commends the quick reaction to initiate a full-scale search-and-rescue operation, and no harm was done in this false alarm with good intentions.”
‘We bring you the latest Garden Route news’
Source: Knysna Plett Herald News