The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said three South African sailors caught in rough seas off-shore of Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal were rescued on Friday night.
NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said the Richards Bay duty crew were activated just before 7pm on Friday following a request for assistance from three SA men on a yacht.
He said the men reported that they were caught in rough swells off-shore of Richards Bay. The yacht was operating with just one of two motors.
Lambinon said the duty crew reported the incident to the NSRI Richards Bay station 19 base and a rescue craft, Ocean Guardian, was launched.
He said the NSRI Emergency Operations Centre, Port of Richards Bay Port Control, Police Sea Borderline Control and Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre were alerted while Telkom Maritime Radio Services and NSRI Richards Bay duty controllers assisted with marine VHF radio communications.
“We rendezvoused with the sailing yacht, whose last port of call was in Mozambique, in an electrical thunderstorm, amid 2 to 3-metre sea swells and moderate to strong south westerly winds. A towline was passed to the three yachtsmen and a towline was rigged from their yacht.
“We towed them into the Port of Richards Bay and rafted alongside them where three NSRI crew were transferred onto the yacht, and we brought them safely to a berth at the international moorings without incident,” said Lambinon.
He added that the operation was completed at midnight.
“They had hoped to get to Durban, but under only one motor power and some rudder steering issues, in the storm that came through while they were off-shore of Richards Bay, the safer option was to bring them into Richards Bay for repairs before continuing,” Lambinon said.
The Mercury