MOSSEL BAY NEWS - NSRI Mossel Bay station commander André Fraser dispatched a duty crew on Monday at 13:45 following reports from the Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) research boat DEREK 1 reporting to have rope fouled around their 13 meter boat motor propellers.
They were dragging anchor in heavy surf and may have been at risk of running aground from half a nautical mile off-shore of Herolds Bay with 7 crew onboard in 3 meter heavy sea swells.
The NSRI Wilderness sea rescue craft Spirit of Rotary was launched on Monday, 13 August at Wilderness and the NSRI Wilderness sea rescue craft Lavenia was towed to Herolds Bay and launched at Herolds Bay while the NSRI Mossel Bay sea rescue craft Rescue 15 was launched from Mossel Bay accompanied by a salvage diver.
"We were not aware at that stage that the local Mossel Bay private boat Proppies, skippered by the son of the salvage diver that we had onboard Rescue 15, had heard of the ordeal while they were approaching Mossel Bay harbour from the Gouritz River side and already being on the water and able to reach the scene quickly the skipper of Proppies had diverted to also responded to see if they can be of any assistance at the casualty boat.
"When sea rescue arrived on the scene Proppies already had a towline attached to the casualty boat and were holding her off-shore and we believe this quick reaction saved the casualty boat DEREK 1 from running aground," Fraser said.
NSRI Wilderness sea rescue craft remained on the scene for safety and as a platform for the salvage diver to operate from.
The vessel being towed. Photo: NSRI
NSRI Mossel Bay's deep sea rescue craft Rescue 15 took over the tow from Proppies and towed the casualty boat DEREK 1 to deeper water where the salvage diver, under the watchful eye of his son, the skipper of Proppies, the salvage diver was able to cut all line free of the casualty boats motors and the DEREK 1 was able to motor to Mossel Bay harbour under her own steam and no further assistance was required.
NSRI commend the swift action of the skipper and crew of Proppies.
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