The skipper of a small charter boat that capsized off Durban’s Oasis Beach, injuring 11 foreign tourists, has been charged with operating a boat in a restricted area and will appear in court, eThekwini municipal lifeguards manager Jayce Govender has confirmed.
He said the boat was inside the shark nets in an area protected by a municipal by-law when it flipped – apparently when it was hit by a wave. Only rescue boats are permitted in this zone.
The accident happened in front of the Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World, north of Durban’s main beach. The tourists had been on a whale-watching expedition.
By Tuesday night, one of the passengers, a German woman, was still in intensive care at St Augustine’s hospital, after nearly drowning.
Praise has been heaped on the three eThekwini municipal lifeguards – Manzi Siphiwe, Kuben Patter and Govender – who responded when they saw the boat flip.
The National Sea Rescue Institute’s Durban station commander Clifford Ireland said the lifeguards had made a gallant effort to save the tourists, “in some cases, dragging the casualties by their life-jackets through the surf to bring them to safety”.
Govender said colleagues saw the boat go over and responded by launching into the surf and bringing the passengers who were floating in the water to shore.
“We became aware that two passengers were unaccounted for and immediately checked underneath the capsized boat, where we found them using an air pocket that had formed there to breathe,” he said.
Ireland said the lifeguards dragged the boat into deeper water and then dived under the boat to rescue the passengers.
Chris Botha, spokesman for Netcare 911, said that if the boat had been left to run aground the two people underneath would have been crushed. Botha commended the staff and management of the casino, saying they brought blankets and refreshments during the rescue operation.
“Our paramedics worked tirelessly to stabilise the injured on scene before they were rushed to hospital for the care that they required,” he said.
The NSRI confirmed the boat was owned by Isle of Capri
and was skippered by Ben van Rensburg.
Botha said most of the passengers were treated for bumps, bruises and shock.
It is believed that the 11 passengers, seven men and four women, were all were wearing life-jackets. The sea was calm.
The SA Maritime Safety Authority has been informed and will begin an investigation into the accident.
- The Mercury