Crew 'up to armpits in water'
Cape Town - A South America-bound yacht with four crew members, one suffering from hypothermia, was being towed in rough sea conditions towards Hout Bay harbour, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said on Monday.
The Ucinga left Cape Town harbour earlier on Monday morning en route to St Helena Bay, but ran into trouble about four nautical miles west of Vulcan Rock near Hout Bay, and started to take on water, said NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon.
"The crew reported being up to their armpits in water," said Lambinon after an SOS was sent just before 14:00.
The ten metre wooden-hulled yacht was captained by a South African couple now living in Manchester, England, with two friends.
Hypothermia
An NSRI deep-sea rescue craft was dispatched to the sea and a towline rigged to try and pull the crippled yacht to safety.
Lambinon said initially three metre swells and bucking seas prevented the transfer of crew onto the stricken vessel, but once in calmer waters, a paramedic was sent onboard.
One crew member was being treated for hypothermia, while a pump was set up to pump out water.
News source: www.news24.co.za
Posted by: www.SouthAfrica-CarHire.com
