The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) has appealed to mariners in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape and beyond as well as members of the public along the Gqeberha shoreline to be vigilant after an Indian crew member went missing at sea on Saturday.
Justin Erasmus, NSRI Gqeberha station commander, said the 31-year old Indian man is still missing at sea.
He said the SA Police Service and Water Policing and Diving Services (WPDS) have been alerted.
“It is believed that between 17h00 and 18h00, on Saturday, 2 March, a MOB (man overboard) alarm was sounded from a container motor vessel about 6 nautical miles offshore East of Cape Recife after crew on board the vessel noticed their fellow seaman missing,” Erasmus said.
Erasmus said a search of the vessel revealed no signs of the man who was declared to be missing and suspected to have gone overboard.
He said maritime authorities were alerted and the motor vessel initiated a search while an all ships alert was broadcast, adding that the NSRI Gqeberha duty crew were alerted at about 8.12pm.
“NSRI Gqeberha operations controllers and NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) assisted maritime authorities to plan search grids – initially information indicated that the incident (MOB) may have occurred further East and NSRI Port Alfred was also alerted,” he said.
Erasmus said at first light on Sunday morning the NSRI Gqeberha rescue craft Rescue 6 Alpha joined an extensive search operation.
“Despite an extensive sea search there remains no signs of the missing man,” he said.
According to Erasmus, an all ships alert continues to be broadcast by Telkom Maritime Radio Service.
NSRI Gqeberha duty controllers, NSRI EOC, TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) Port of Port Elizabeth Port Control, the SA Police Service and Telkom Maritime Radio Service, in co-operation with the container motor vessel and vessels at sea, assisted MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre), in the logistics and co-ordination of the search operation.
“Our thoughts are with the family of the missing man and his fellow crew in this difficult time.”
The Mercury