No fewer than 11 fishermen are missing at sea after their vessel sunk off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa.
South Africa’s fisheries department said nine fishermen who managed to deploy an emergency craft were rescued.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the missing fishermen and their families as we await news of the search and rescue operation,” fisheries minister Barbara Creecy said.
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said rescue efforts were activated on Friday following reports of a fishing vessel sinking approximately 30 nautical miles offshore of the Atlantic Seaboard.
“A Mayday distress call, intercepted by Telkom Maritime Radio Services at 1530 (local time), was relayed to vessels in the area that responded to assist. At least 5 fishing vessels reached the search area locating and recovering 9 of 20 local fishermen from a life raft,” ,” NSRI said in a statement weekend.
It said the cause of the fishing vessel sinking was yet to be determined.
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